Kaduna pilgrims petition Independent Hajj Reporters over non-issuance of visa

By Soliu Oyesiji


Hundreds of intending pilgrims in Kaduna State have petitioned Independent Hajj Reporters over the alleged exclusion of their names from the official Hajj visa list despite completing full payments within the stipulated deadline.

In a letter signed and sent to IHR by some of the affected pilgrims, including Ibrahim Abdullahi Sanusi, Iliyasu Salihu Baba and Rukayya Hamisu Kano, the complainants alleged irregularities in the handling of the visa list by the Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Agency.

The petitioners said they paid the required Hajj fare of ₦5,696,569.76 after making an initial deposit of ₦2 million as early as November 24, 2025, through the Kaduna North Registration Office, and completed payments by December 2, 2025.

They claimed that at the time of their payments, fewer than 1,200 intending pilgrims had fully registered, but were later excluded from the final list under unclear circumstances.

According to them, there are indications that early payers were replaced by individuals who completed their payments at a later date.

The affected pilgrims said they have documented evidence, including payment receipts, original lists used during medical screening, and testimonies, to support their claims.

They called for an independent investigation into the matter, citing the financial and religious importance of the Hajj exercise.

“Another complainant alleged that the Kaduna State Pilgrims Agency’s penchant for late remittance of Hajj fare to NAHCON caused us to miss this year’s Hajj. We call on Governor Uba Sani to investigate this anomaly and determine how many made payments before January 2 and how much was remitted to NAHCON as at that date,” the petition added.

The petitioners expressed readiness to provide further documents and link investigators with other affected individuals for verification.

However, Hajj Reporters reports that the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Pilgrims Agency Mallam Abubakar Salihu said the number of pilgrims registered before January 2nd was low, prompting the agency to seek an additional registration timeline from NAHCON.

On the selection criteria, Abubakar explained that the agency initially considered a first-come, first-served approach but later prioritised pilgrims who completed payment and submitted their international passports early.

“We uploaded the data of those who had made payment and submitted their passports to meet the deadline and avoid complications with the limited slots available,” he added.