NAHCON Officials Detain Two Nigerians Posing as Pilgrims at Muna Camp in Saudi Arabia
On Friday, NAHCON officials apprehended two Nigerians who were posing as legitimate pilgrims at the Muna camp in Saudi Arabia. The impostors, identified as Abu Mahmud and Ismaila Yahaya, were discovered mingling with authentic pilgrims who were resting after their journey from Mecca to Muna camps.
These fake pilgrims were wearing counterfeit Nusuk Identification cards and the traditional white attire of Hajj pilgrims, attempting to blend into the crowd. Their deception was soon uncovered by vigilant officials, who detained them.
Mahmud, who claimed to be from Kano State, was found with an expired Saudi visa. He confessed to having resided in Saudi Arabia illegally since his visa expired in 2022. In his desperate quest for a better life, he admitted to paying N3 million to enter Saudi Arabia illegally, hoping to perform Hajj.
“I only wanted to perform Hajj. So I faked the Nusuk ID and sneaked into the camp when Nigerians arrived this afternoon,” Mahmud pleaded. “I am so sorry. Please allow me to go. I won’t do the Hajj again. If you arrest me, I will be in trouble, and so will my family.”
Currently, the impersonating pilgrims are being interrogated by NAHCON officials and will be handed over to Saudi authorities. The Saudi government has issued a stern warning that all pilgrims must possess a valid Nusuk card to participate in this year’s Hajj. Those found without the mandatory Nusuk card will face severe penalties, including deportation, imprisonment, and a fine of 10,000 Saudi Riyals.
Meanwhile, the Hajj rituals have commenced, with pilgrims traveling from Mecca to Mina on Friday. They will camp in Mina before proceeding to Arafat on Saturday, marking the beginning of the sacred journey. This significant event has attracted over 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world, with numbers expected to exceed 2 million, according to Saudi authorities.