Nigerian activist turned politician, Aisha Yesufu, has condemned the subsidising of Hajj for Muslim pilgrims by the Federal government.
In a statement on X, Yesufu mentioned that going on Hajj pilgrimage is a personal responsibility and, as such, should not be the “business” of the federal government.
Yesufu made the remark while reacting to the arrest of the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, and the Commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged mismanagement of the N90bn 2024 Hajj subsidy.
Chronicle NG reports that the EFCC stated that its investigation revealed that from the N90bn Hajj subsidy, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others the necessary operational cost.
Reacting to the arrests, Yesufu said, “The Nigerian government has no business subsidising Hajj.
“People are suffering, and you are spending money on an act of worship that is not obligatory until one has the personal means to perform it.
“Even if it is obligatory, religion is people’s personal responsibility and not the state’s responsibility.”
