By Professor Ishaq Akintola

‎An Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has criticised the Kebbi State government for approving a N10 billion loan to secure additional 1,300 Hajj seats for the 2026 pilgrimage.

‎‎In a statement signed by the Executive Director the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Monday, 12th January, 2026, MURIC advised the state government to rearrange its priorities by focusing attention on education, health, roads, poverty alleviation and the provision of jobs for Kebbi youths instead of competing with other states in the number of pilgrims.

‎‎According to the statement:

‎‎”The Kebbi State government, under Governor Nasir Idris, has approved a N10 billion loan to secure 1,300 additional Hajj seats for the 2026 pilgrimage.

‎‎”We see this as gross misplacement of priorities. Islam does not compel all Muslims to go on Hajj. It is only compulsory for Muslims who have the wherewithal (Glorious Qur’an 3;97). We are also not compelled to borrow in order to fulfil this obligation. It is conditional.

‎‎”N10 billion can build 40 kilometers of roads in Kebbi. There are no swamps there. A mid-sized general hospital typically costs between ₦250 million and ₦1.5 billion for the structure. Governor Idris could have given the people of Kebbi at least five general hospitals with that amount.

‎‎”If it is true that Kebbi planned to rehabilitate seven hospitals with N4 billion in December 2025, how can we explain borrowing a humongous amount of N10 billion to sponsor people on hajj? Who is going to repay that loan?

‎‎”Again, if Kebbi government set aside N8.9 billion to construct 120 schools in December 2023, how can we explain borrowing N10 billion to sponsor hajj?‎

‎”Kebbi must rearrange its priorities. Education, health, roads, security, etc, should be top among the priorities. They are capable of transforming society and making life more meaningful, most abundant. We therefore advise the state government to rearrange its priorities by focusing attention on education, health, roads, poverty alleviation and the provision of jobs for Kebbi youths instead of competing with other states in the number of pilgrims.

‎‎”Once again, we reiterate our call on both federal and state governments to leave the operation of hajj to the Muslims and their Islamic organizations. The Federal Government only needs to handle protocol matters. It should stop sponsoring hajj.”

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).