The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested four
suspects linked to an alleged Hajj seat scam involving millions of naira
intended for the 2026 pilgrimage exercise.
Police spokesperson, Bashir Usman, disclosed the
arrests in a statement issued on Monday, revealing that the suspects were
apprehended following complaints from the Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency.
According to the statement, authorities became
suspicious after discovering that the names of several intending pilgrims were
missing from the agency’s official Hajj records.
The suspects identified as Aminu Hassan Zauro, Tabiu
Abubakar, Usman Attahiru, and Mustapha Sani Zauro were arrested during the
investigation, while other alleged accomplices — Bello Jos, Atiku Store, Umar
Gimba, and Usman Bunza — are reportedly still on the run.
Police investigations revealed that the prime suspect,
Aminu Hassan Zauro, allegedly had no authorised access to Hajj allocations but
falsely claimed he could secure pilgrimage slots for victims.
Authorities said he fraudulently collected ?8.6
million from one victim after promising to provide two seats for the 2026 Hajj
exercise. He was also accused of obtaining an additional ?690,000 deposit from
another victim using similar false claims.
To make the scheme appear genuine, the suspect
allegedly distributed fake Hajj materials, including branded Hajj bags, hijabs,
wrappers, and counterfeit medical record cards to the victims.
The police said investigations are ongoing as efforts
continue to arrest the remaining suspects connected to the alleged fraud.
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