… “No One Is Abandoned, Return Dates Are Intact,” Says Ajakaye
The Kwara State Government has dismissed as false and politically motivated, allegations by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that pilgrims from the state are stranded in Saudi Arabia following the conclusion of the 2025 Hajj.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, categorically described the opposition party’s claims as “baseless, misleading, and detached from the realities on the ground.” He reassured the public that all 2,204 Kwara pilgrims in Saudi Arabia are safe, well cared for, and awaiting their scheduled return to Nigeria.
“I personally spoke with the Ameerul Hajj, His Royal Majesty Oba Ismail Yahya Alebiosu, the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, as well as the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims’ Board. They both dismissed the PDP’s claims as laughable and entirely untrue,” Ajakaye stated.
He clarified that the return of pilgrims is the statutory responsibility of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), which works in partnership with designated airlines and state pilgrim boards to coordinate repatriation schedules — a process not directed by state governments.
Kwara’s return schedule, he explained, was finalized weeks ago and will occur in four batches on June 21, 23, 25, and 27 — in line with national timelines. As of June 17, only 6,951 of Nigeria’s estimated 41,000 pilgrims had returned, indicating that the process is still ongoing across all states.
“Today is June 17. So where is the logic in claiming that Kwara pilgrims are stranded? What date were they supposed to be back? The figures speak for themselves, and the timelines are clear. This is political mischief, plain and simple,” he said.
Ajakaye further appealed to media outlets and the public to be vigilant and fact-check politically charged claims before amplifying them, warning that misinformation of this nature could sow needless public anxiety or international embarrassment.
The rebuttal follows a strongly worded statement by the PDP, titled “International Disgrace: PDP Condemns Gov Abdulrahman’s Silence on Stranded Kwara Pilgrims in Mecca”, in which the party accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of failing to address what it called the “abandonment” of state pilgrims in the Holy Land.
The PDP’s spokesperson, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, had called on the governor to provide immediate clarity on the pilgrims’ status and offer public reassurance to citizens back home.
But the state government insists the matter is a non-issue being politicised for cheap points. “Our pilgrims are safe, our return plans are in motion, and there is no cause for alarm,” Ajakaye reiterated.
