Why I returned N1.6m found in Makkah — Jigawa pilgrim

A Nigerian pilgrim from Jigawa State, Abba Sa’ad Limawa, has returned a missing purse containing over N1.6 million in Saudi Arabia, citing his fear of God as the motivation behind his action.

Limawa, a 52-year-old pilgrim from Jigawa State, discovered the purse containing $800, SR690 (Saudi Riyal), and RR10,500 (Russian Ruble) while on his way to Masjidul Haram in Makkah.

Speaking with journalists in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, the pilgrim said he thought it might belong to another pilgrim from Jigawa State, as they were together at the time.

Limawa said upon checking the contents and realising it did not belong to a fellow Nigerian, he searched for the owner at the spot where he found the purse for two days without success.

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The pilgrim said he then informed the Jigawa State Pilgrims’ Welfare Board and the director general instructed him to keep the bag with the assurance that Allah knows his intentions.

“The DG then asked me to keep the bag with me, that Allah knows my mind. So, I kept the money till the end of the Hajj activities. Later the DG called me and we both met with NAHCON officials.

“After our meeting, they collected the bag from me and said they would investigate and find who owned the money for onward return. At that point, my mind was at rest that the entire process was transparent,” he said.

When asked why he chose to return the money despite personal needs, Limawa attributed his actions to his fear of God, saying even though he needed money, he couldn’t take what didn’t belong to him, especially in a holy land where devotion to Allah is expected.

NAHCON Chairman Malam Jalal Ahmed Arabi commended him for making Nigeria proud.

This act of integrity is not an isolated incident, as a similar gesture was made by a Zamfara State pilgrim, Hajiya Aisha Nahuche, who returned $8,000 found during Hajj in 2023.