It was confirmed that the pilgrim (names withheld), was said to have fraudulently collected the money, before his apprehension by the members of the State government’s 2017 Hajj delegation.
Reports further said that the pilgrim had perpetrated similar nefarious acts in the previous Hajj exercises.
However, while confirming the incident, the state Amirul Hajj, Justice Bello Abbas, said the pilgrim would be thoroughly investigated and appropriately sanctioned, if found wanting.
Abbas, who is also the State Chief Judge revealed the sad development during a preaching session in Makkah which was also attended by the members of the delegation, as well as those of the State preaching committee.
Represented by Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, Abbas warned,” any pilgrim from the state found wanting would not be spared.
” All the pilgrims should arrive to be good ambassadors of the state and Nigeria while in the Holy Land,” he appealed.
Also commenting on the issue, the Director, Operations of the Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Muhammad, said the pilgrim is from Sokoto South local government and had been in this business for six consecutive years.
“We don’t want to give his name or tell you more about him as at now because doing so is amounting to preempting the outcome of the probe,” he said