The Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency (KSPWA) has dismissed as mischievous media reports concerning the accommodation of male and female pilgrims in the same hotel in Makkah, denouncing them as “a misrepresentation of facts.”
In a press statement, the Public Relations Officer of the agency, Yunusa Mohammed Abdullahi, said the agency noted with concern the article circulated by “Hajj Reporters” and categorically stated that the report was a deliberate attempt to smear its image.
He said: “The agency’s dedicated media team for Hajj 2025 is readily available and has always been accessible to respond to inquiries from media outlets, making the claim of ‘unsuccessful’ attempts to reach a public relations officer questionable.
“It is crucial to emphasise that Kaduna State has historically been a pioneer in ensuring gender-segregated accommodation during Hajj. Indeed, Kaduna was the first state in Nigeria to implement and consistently maintain the separation of female and male pilgrim accommodations in Makkah, a policy rooted in our deep respect for religious and moral principles. This long-standing commitment underscores our agency’s dedication to upholding the highest standards of pilgrim welfare.
“The KSPWA understands and acknowledges the concerns raised by some female pilgrims and their relatives.
“We share their commitment to upholding religious and moral standards, especially in the holy city of Makkah. Nonetheless, it is pertinent to explain that it is not possible to hire accommodation that will cater to an exact number of female pilgrims or an exact number of male pilgrims. So, in some hotels, some floors may have to be occupied by males while other floors are occupied by females. In such situations, measures are taken to ensure that mixing of males and females is avoided.
“There is only one of the six hotels in which Kaduna State Pilgrims are accommodated that had the challenge of accommodating males and females in the same building, and they were adequately separated.
“The Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency remains dedicated to providing a seamless and spiritually enriching Hajj experience for all its pilgrims. We urge the public to disregard misleading reports and rely on verified information from official channels.”
