The Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board has disclosed that Mallam AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq, the executive governor of the state has ordered that pilgrims who were defrauded of foreign currency by unscrupulous individuals in Saudi Arabia should be reimbursed.
Alhaji Abdulsalam Abdulkadir, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board in a statement released to the press on Sunday said the Board has commenced an investigation into the “recent incident involving some of our pilgrims who were reportedly defrauded of their Basic Travel Allowance (BTA).”
Every pilgrim was given their $500 BTA in five $100 bills in a public space and under the supervision of officials from the Directorate of State Security, who ensured that the currency was genuine. Each pilgrim signed for the collection of their BTA after counting it in the presence of the pilgrims’ board officials and the DSS.
“Upon seeing the viral video in which some pilgrims claimed they had received five one-dollar bills instead of five one-hundred-dollar notes, our preliminary findings suggest that these incidents likely occurred after the pilgrims had arrived in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
“In several cases, the affected individuals—mostly elderly and unfamiliar with foreign currencies—had sought help from strangers to convert their funds into Saudi Riyals. These unscrupulous individuals apparently took advantage of their vulnerability by swapping $100 bills with $1 bills under the guise of assisting them with currency exchange.
“In response to this unfortunate development, His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has graciously provided for each affected pilgrim to be given $500 to offset their losses. We ask Allah to reward His Excellency’s swift and compassionate intervention.
“Further investigations are ongoing to expose the criminals behind this evil act,” the Board added.
“Similarly, the Governor visited the Kwara pilgrims’ hotel in Mecca, during which he extended financial support to all pilgrims to assist with their local expenses. The Board and all pilgrims express our gratitude for this kind gesture.
“With the fraudulent currency swap having been reported among pilgrims from other states of the Federation, we support the Central Bank of Nigeria’s proposal to replace cash disbursements of BTA with preloaded debit cards.
“This will enhance transparency, reduce the risk of theft or fraud, and ensure that all pilgrims—especially the elderly—can manage their funds more securely.
“We strongly condemn the actions of those who preyed on the goodwill and vulnerability of our pilgrims. We also welcome any credible information that may assist in bringing the culprits to justice,” the board stated.
