In a development that places religious equity once again at the center of public policy discourse in Kaduna, the Kaduna State Government has revealed that the 2015 ban on state-sponsored pilgrimages introduced by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai was not implemented uniformly, alleging that while Christian pilgrimage sponsorship to Jerusalem was halted, Muslim pilgrims continued to receive government-backed support under alternative classifications.
The disclosure was made on Monday, February 23, 2026, during a press briefing in Kaduna by a member of the Kaduna State Special Hajj Committee, Haliru Maraya.
El-Rufai had in 2015 announced a ban on government sponsorship of pilgrimages, citing fiscal prudence and the need to manage Kaduna State’s debt burden. At the time, the policy was presented as a blanket suspension affecting both Muslim and Christian pilgrims.
However, Maraya said that although the policy appeared neutral on paper, its implementation told a different story.
“At face value, the policy appeared to apply uniformly to both Muslim and Christian pilgrims. However, subsequent developments revealed a divergence between policy pronouncement and policy implementation,” he said.
According to figures presented by the committee, 985 pilgrims were sponsored to Saudi Arabia during El-Rufai’s eight-year tenure. These included 730 officials and 255 sub-officials.
Maraya stated that within the same period, there was no record of any Christian pilgrim receiving Kaduna State Government sponsorship to Jerusalem.
Breakdown of Sponsored Muslim Pilgrims
The committee provided a year-by-year breakdown of sponsored Muslim pilgrims:
• 2015: 95 officials
• 2016: 91 officials and 40 sub-officials
• 2017: 89 officials and 30 sub-officials
• 2018: 95 officials and 45 sub-officials
• 2019: 90 officials
• 2020–2021: No pilgrimage due to COVID-19 restrictions
• 2022: 100 officials and 40 sub-officials
• 2023: 170 officials and 100 sub-officials
Maraya explained that the “officials” category comprised medical personnel, clerics and administrative staff deployed to facilitate Hajj operations. The second category, later termed “sub-officials,” he said, functioned as direct government sponsorship, covering airfare, accommodation, feeding and Basic Travelling Allowances.
He argued that while Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem was effectively discontinued, Muslim pilgrimage sponsorship continued under these administrative classifications.
Uba Sani Lifts Suspension
Maraya said the controversy was being clarified in light of Governor Uba Sani’s recent decision to lift what he described as an eleven-year suspension of Kaduna State Government sponsorship of Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem.
He described the move as a deliberate policy decision grounded in fairness, inclusivity and equal citizenship.
“In a plural and religiously diverse state such as Kaduna, government actions must not only comply with constitutional provisions but must also demonstrate visible neutrality and balance,” Maraya stated.
He added that reinstating sponsorship for Christian pilgrims does not undermine support for Muslim pilgrims but rather restores equilibrium.
Maraya, an Islamic cleric, further rationalised the decision within religious ethics, citing Islamic teachings on justice.
He referenced Suratul An-Nisa (Chapter 4, Verse 135), which calls on believers to uphold justice even where it conflicts with personal or communal interests.
“By restoring Christian pilgrimage sponsorship while maintaining Muslim pilgrimage support, the Governor has reinforced the Islamic principle of fairness rather than undermining it,” he said.
He stressed that government neutrality in religious matters does not necessarily require total disengagement from pilgrimage logistics, especially where historical and administrative frameworks already exist. Instead, he argued, neutrality demands even-handedness.
The revelation is likely to reignite debate over religious balance and governance in Kaduna, a state long marked by ethno-religious sensitivities.
El-Rufai’s 2015 policy was widely defended at the time as part of cost-cutting measures. However, the committee’s figures may prompt renewed scrutiny over whether the policy was applied consistently across faith lines.
There has been no immediate response from the former governor regarding the committee’s claims, but many are wondering if any compensation will come to Christian faithful by way of increased number of pilgrims, even as the Sani administration seeks to reposition itself as pursuing inclusive governance in one of Nigeria’s most religiously diverse states.
