Political analyst Mahdi Shehu has strongly criticised the Kebbi State Government over its approval of a ₦10 billion loan to support intending pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj, describing the decision as ill-timed and insensitive in a state battling widespread poverty and severe infrastructural decay.
Shehu, in a post on X on Monday, questioned why the government would commit borrowed public funds to a religious pilgrimage when many residents struggle to meet basic needs. He argued that Kebbi’s development challenges demand urgent attention, not what he described as a wasteful policy disguised in religious sentiment.
He noted that the state continues to grapple with high poverty levels, millions of out-of-school children, dilapidated roads, poorly equipped hospitals and collapsed primary healthcare centres. According to him, many retirees are still owed gratuities, while unemployment among young people remains alarming.
Shehu further accused the state authorities of using religion to mislead vulnerable citizens, insisting that governance should be guided by economic realities and public interest rather than populist gestures.
The criticism followed the approval by Governor Nasir Idris of the ₦10 billion intervention aimed at assisting intending pilgrims who were unable to meet the payment deadline for the 2026 Hajj. The Chairman of the Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Faruku Aliyu Yaro, said many registered pilgrims faced difficulties paying for their seats, which informed the government’s decision to intervene.
The move has since generated debate, with critics arguing that borrowing to fund pilgrimage expenses is difficult to justify in a state marked by poverty, weak infrastructure and unresolved welfare challenges.
Abuja Network News
Tags
News