Abba Limawa, a 52-year-old Nigerian pilgrim from Dutse local government area of Jigawa State, has been lauded for his exemplary honesty after returning a significant amount of money he found in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Limawa handed over 10,500 Russian rubles, 800 US dollars, and 690 Saudi riyals to the executive chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, during a post-Afarat conference held on Wednesday in the Holy city of Makkah.
Limawa recounted the incident, explaining that he discovered the money inside a waist bag while en route to pray at the Masjid Haram. Initially inclined to ignore the bag, he reconsidered his action, thinking it might belong to a fellow Nigerian, possibly an elderly person. “I wanted to ignore the waist bag, but on a second thought, I felt it might belong to a Nigerian, especially some older folks,” Limawa said.
Commending Limawa’s integrity, the NAHCON boss praised him for positively representing Nigeria on the international stage. “This act of honesty by Limawa is a testament to the positive image Nigerians can project globally,” Arabi noted during the conference.
In addition to the commendation, the post-Afarat conference included a review of the recently concluded Hajj rituals. Arabi revealed that the Saudi government has released the timetable for the 2025 Hajj operation, calling on State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, Tour Operators, and other stakeholders in Nigeria to take note of the development.
Head of Aviation at NAHCON, Goni Sanda, announced that three flights carrying pilgrims from Kebbi, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were scheduled to return to Nigeria on June 22.