Outrage as Kebbi Govt Borrows N10bn for Extra 1,300 Hajj Slots – “Hospitals Are Dying, Roads Are Death Traps,” Netizens Fume

By Emmanuel Kwada 

The Kebbi State Government’s approval of a N10 billion loan to secure an additional 1,300 Hajj seats for the 2026 pilgrimage has ignited fierce criticism across Nigerian social media, with citizens questioning the priorities of Governor Nasir Idris at a time of biting economic hardship.

The disclosure was made on Saturday by the Chairman of the Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Faruku Aliyu-Yaro, during a press conference in Birnin Kebbi. He defended the loan as a necessary intervention to meet the December 5 payment deadline imposed by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and prevent intending pilgrims from losing their slots.

Aliyu-Yaro praised Governor Idris for what he called a “people-focused decision,” saying the facility not only safeguarded the state’s original allocation but expanded it by 1,300 seats, while extending the payment deadline for the N7.7 million Hajj fare to December 16. He insisted every one of the state’s 21 local government areas would benefit and boasted that Kebbi remains among the best-prepared states for the 2026 holy pilgrimage.

The announcement, however, triggered immediate backlash online. Within hours #KebbiHajjLoan was trending as thousands vented their frustration over a government borrowing billions to fund a religious journey while basic infrastructure and healthcare crumble.

“Kebbi borrowers N10 billion naira to send people to Mecca while Argungu General Hospital has no single functional ambulance and most primary schools have no roofs. Prioritise!” one user wrote.

Another popular post read: “People are treating malaria with agbo because drugs are unaffordable, roads to Gwandu and Yauri are death traps, yet Kebbi can find N10 billion overnight for Hajj seats. This country is a tragic comedy.”

Several commentators accused the government of religious favouritism, pointing out that Christian pilgrims rarely receive similar state-backed financial rescue packages of this magnitude.

Influential analyst JJ Omojuwa weighed in with a widely shared post: “I am a believer in true Federalism. That said, allocations from the Federal Government should go with certain conditions. States should be free to do with their IGR whatever they want – as long as their citizens are fine with it – but allocations from the centre should be protected from any forms of shenanigans.”

By Sunday evening, the conversation had spread beyond Kebbi, with citizens from Kano, Sokoto, and Zamfara states recalling similar controversies in previous years. Many demanded transparency on the terms of the loan, the identity of the lender, interest rates, and the repayment plan.

As of press time, neither the Kebbi State Government nor Governor Nasir Idris had issued any official response to the growing public anger.

For thousands of intending pilgrims, the extra seats represent a fulfilled spiritual dream; for many more Nigerians scrolling through their phones, the N10 billion loan is the latest symbol of misplaced priorities in a country where survival itself has become a daily pilgrimage.