Nigerian pilgrim praised for returning missing $5,000 to owner in Saudi

Nigerian pilgrim from Plateau State, simply identified as Hajiya Zainab, has received praises for returning $5,000 (about ₦8.2 million) she found at Masjidul Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to its rightful owner.

Zainab is one of thousands of Nigerian Muslims who joined faithful from the rest of the world in Saudi Arabia's holy land to perform the 2025 hajj.

According to the Plateau State Pilgrims Board, led by Daiyabu Dauda, and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Zainab displayed honesty and integrity as she returned the money to the owner, a Russian pilgrim.

“She demonstrated exceptional integrity and honesty by returning $5,000 she found in Masjidul Haram to its rightful owner. That’s a remarkable act of kindness,” Dauda said in a statement.

This is hardly the first time a Nigerian pilgrim has demonstrated honesty during pilgrimage.

In 2023, Pulse reported that Hajiya Aishatu Guru-Nahuche, a pilgrim from Zamfara State, returned the missing $80,000 she found to the owner during the Hajj exercise in Saudi Arabia.

Guru-Nahuche, from Bungudu Local Government, handed over the 80,000 dollars to officials of Zamfara Pilgrims Welfare Agency, who returned the money to the owner.

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara later hosted the pilgrim in recognition of her honesty and pledged to assist her and her family.

Meanwhile, NAHCON also disclosed that it has entered talks with Saudi authorities to reopen processing for intending pilgrims.

The development is contained in a statement by the commission’s Assistant Director of Information, Fatima Usara, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

“There is optimism for a positive outcome, and when that is realised, the commission will immediately transport the registered pilgrims for the Hajj in another special arrangement,” Usara said.

The information director added that some staff members have been placed on standby in the event the visa window is reopened.