Kwara govt replies PDP, says no pilgrims stranded in Mecca

The Kwara State government has described as irresponsible and laughable the statement credited to the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Kwara pilgrims are stranded and are suffering in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazak, Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye, on Tuesday, stated that nothing of the sort had ever happened to any of the over 2,000 pilgrims from the state.

“I spoke with the Ameerul Hajj and Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, HRM Oba Ismail Yahya Alebiosu, and the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims’ Board. They both had a good laugh at the statement of the PDP because there is nothing as such,” Ajakaye said.

Emphasising the naivety of the PDP in the workings of the Nigeria Hajj Commission (NAHCO), he explained that “Kwara has some 2,204 pilgrims this year, one of the biggest contingents from Nigeria. These pilgrims are scheduled to depart Saudi Arabia in four batches as follows: June 21st, 23rd, 25th, and 27th.

“The Kwara State Government did not design this schedule; it was designed by all the stakeholders: NAHCON, airlines, and the pilgrims’ board.

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“Many states of the federation still have pilgrims in the holy land. Nigeria has approximately 41,000 pilgrims this year; of these, only 6,951 have returned, according to NAHCON figures released this afternoon.

“Today is June 17th. How did the story of being stranded arise,?”

He added: “As a reporter, I’m for a democracy that allows for free exchange of information and robust conversations on issues of shared interest. But I am not for sheer mischief and irresponsibility. They serve no good. Mischief constitutes an existential threat to all of us. This is why false alarm attracts stiff penalties in many societies.

“I appeal to our colleagues in the media, legacy or new, to adopt a higher level of scrutiny for what they accept from anyone at all — ruling or opposition politicians. This is important for the good of all. If we allow just anything and no line is too sacred to cross, we risk psychological numbing to issues of grave significance to the public welfare or safety.

“Pray, where did the PDP get the idea that Kwara pilgrims are stranded? How are they stranded? When are they expected back home? Has that time lapsed? If purveyors of fake news know that people will ask questions, they will think twice before disseminating it. I beg that we set the bar very high in our interest.”

Meanwhile, the PDP, in a statement on Tuesday, titled “International Disgrace: PDP Condemns Gov Abdulrahman’s Silence on Stranded Kwara Pilgrims in Mecca,” expressed disappointment over the alleged humiliating ordeal experienced by the state contingents said to be stranded in Mecca, “several days after completing their Hajj rites.”

In a statement, the state Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, urged Governor Abdulrahman to speak up and address Kwarans on the true situation of the Kwara pilgrim contingents stranded in Mecca.