Nigerian pilgrim returns $800, other currencies in Makkah

A 52-year-old Nigerian pilgrim from Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Abba Limawa, has returned $800, 10,500 Russian rubles, and 690 Saudi Riyals, he found to the authority in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Limawa handed over the different currencies to the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, during the post-Afarat conference in Makkah on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

The pilgrim disclosed that he found the money inside a waist bag while on his way to pray at the Masjid Haram (mosque).

He said: “Initially, I wanted to ignore the waist bag and move to the mosque, but on second thought, I said it might belong to a Nigerian, especially some of our old women.

“So, I decided to pick it and I proceeded to the mosque. When I returned to my accommodation, I opened the bag and discovered that there was no Nigerian currency and no sign that it belonged to a Nigerian.

“Immediately, I approached one of the officials of the Jigawa State Pilgrims Welfare Boards, narrated the story and presented the money to him.

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“From there, he commended me for showing an exemplary character and honesty and told me that he will hand over the money to the NAHCON, to ensure that the owner gets his or her money.”

Responding, Arabi commended Limawa for being honest and projecting the image of Nigeria positively at the international arena.

Earlier, in his presentation on the outcome of the just concluded Hajj ritual, the NAHCON boss explained that the aim of the post-Afarat conference was to review what had transpired.

“This will enable us to have a sincere post-mortem of what we did at the battlefield and improve on the success recorded,” he said.

Arabi disclosed that the Saudi government released the timetable and timeline for the 2025 Hajj operation on Tuesday.

He stated: “Perhaps by Thursday we will have known what they allocate (Hajj slots allocation) to each nation of the world and how the visas will commence.

“But interestingly for the first time, they (Saudi authority) have opened the e-portal as of Tuesday.”

The Star