Hajj 2015: Nigerian Pilgrim Rewarded For Returning N.5mln To Afghan Owner

Nigerian pilgrim who found a money belt containing about N500,000 and returned it to its owner, an Afghan, has been rewarded.

Millions of Muslim pilgrims during the annual pilgrimage, known as the Hajj, in Mina, on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Premium Times reports that Suleiman Bello from Nasarawa state was presented a free seat for next year’s hajj.

Bello, who came to the Saudi Arabian office of Nigeria’s National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), said that he found the money belt around the vicinity of the Holy Mosque in Ka’aba. The belt reportedly contained $2,345 (N466,655), SR303 (Saudi Riyal) (N16,076.84 ) and 3,020 Afghan currency (N9,370.64), totalling N492,102.44.

Bello said that he handed over the money to his coordinator, Hamza Naibi, who easily traced the owner by his identity card in the bag.

Abdullahi Mohammed, the chairman of NAHCON, handed over the money to the owner in the presence of other Afghan officials in his office in Makkah. He also promised that Nigerian pilgrim would be adequately rewarded and announced a free seat for Bello for next year’s hajj.

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“He (Bello) chose to fear Allah knowing he would account to Allah on the Day of Judgement,” Mr. Mohammed said.

“He chose to be a good ambassador of Nigeria. He took the property to his state pilgrim officials and they brought it to us so that we can return it to the owner. This shows that Nigerians are honest and God-fearing,” he said.

Meanwhile, the owner of the money belt, Mosa Gousdin, expressed gratitude to Bello for his honesty.

Speaking on behalf of the Afghan delegation, Sayed Tahir Hashimi, an official of that country’s International Ministry of Hajj, said that there were no words enough to express the country’s gratitude.

Meanwhile, Bello expressed appreciation and happiness for the free hajj seat reward.

Following contradicting reports on the number of pilgrims who died during the Mecca stampede, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the NAHCON and the Nigerian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to account for all Nigerian pilgrims.

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