The Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board has clarified reports that some pilgrims were defrauded of their Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) during the ongoing Hajj. According to the board, each pilgrim had received $500 in five $100 bills under the supervision of security officials before departure from Ilorin.
The board explained that its preliminary findings suggest that the fraud likely occurred after the pilgrims arrived in Medina, where some elderly pilgrims unknowingly allowed strangers to help exchange their money. The fraudsters allegedly swapped the $100 bills with $1 bills, taking advantage of the pilgrims’ unfamiliarity with foreign currency.
In response, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved $500 compensation for each affected pilgrim and also provided financial support to all Kwara pilgrims in Mecca. The board expressed support for the Central Bank of Nigeria’s proposal to replace cash BTA with preloaded debit cards to prevent future occurrences.
