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Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, has reimbursed pilgrims from the state who fell victim to a currency fraud in Saudi Arabia.
This was announced by the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board on Sunday.
An e-signed statement from the board's Executive Secretary, Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, confirmed that an investigation is underway concerning “the recent incident involving some pilgrims who reportedly lost their Basic Travel Allowance (BTA).”
“Each pilgrim received their $500 BTA in five $100 bills in a public setting, supervised by Directorate of State Security officials, who verified that the currency was genuine.
Every pilgrim acknowledged receipt of their BTA after counting it in front of the pilgrims’ board officials and the DSS.” In response to viral videos from Saudi Arabia, the board stated that initial findings indicated the fraud likely took place after the pilgrims arrived in Medina.
“Upon viewing the viral video in which some pilgrims claimed to have received five one-dollar bills instead of five one-hundred-dollar notes, our preliminary analysis suggests that these instances likely occurred once the pilgrims reached Medina, Saudi Arabia,” the board explained.
“In numerous cases, the victims—primarily elderly individuals unfamiliar with foreign currency—sought assistance from strangers to exchange their money for Saudi Riyals. These deceitful individuals seemingly exploited their vulnerability by replacing $100 bills with $1 bills under the pretext of helping with currency conversion,” it added.
The board announced that the governor intervened to alleviate the pilgrims' losses from the scam. “In light of this unfortunate situation, His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has graciously arranged for each affected pilgrim to receive $500 to compensate for their losses. We pray for Allaah to reward His Excellency’s quick and compassionate response,” the statement continued.
The board also noted the governor's previous visit to the pilgrims in Mecca, during which he provided financial assistance to all pilgrims for their local expenses.
“Likewise, the governor visited the Kwara pilgrims’ hotel in Mecca, where he offered financial support for their local needs. The board, along with all pilgrims, appreciates this thoughtful gesture,” the statement added.
Following similar fraudulent incidents involving pilgrims from other states, the board showed support for the Central Bank of Nigeria’s proposed reform to distribute BTA through preloaded debit cards instead of cash.
“This will enhance transparency, reduce risks of theft or fraud, and ensure that all pilgrims—particularly the elderly—can manage their funds more securely,” the board asserted.
