Sponsoring Muslim Pilgrims Is Investment In Peace, Not Patronage — Plateau Gov Mutfwang

Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of Plateau State has explained why his administration sponsors the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

According to the governor, the sponsorship of Muslim pilgrims is “an investment in peace, religious harmony and inclusive governance,” rather than an act of political patronage.

Mutfwang stated this on Thursday while receiving the report of the 2026 Hajj operation at the New Government House, Rayfield, Jos.

He said the policy reflects his administration’s commitment to building a Plateau where citizens of different faiths and political affiliations can participate equally in development.

In a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, the governor said government’s responsibility extends beyond infrastructure and economic opportunities to creating conditions for peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and shared responsibility.

“For me, sponsoring pilgrims to Hajj or Jerusalem is to deepen the fear of God in the hearts of our people, so that we will know that when the chips are down, we are all human beings before God. None of us is superior to the other,” he said.

Against the backdrop of religious and communal tensions in the state, Mutfwang said promoting Muslim-Christian divide has not helped Plateau.

“For too long, people have promoted the Muslim-Christian divide on the Plateau, and it hasn’t helped us,” he said, urging citizens to replace suspicion with a sense of shared destiny.

“There is no foolish man on the Plateau. We will continue to live as brothers,” he added.

The governor cited the appointment of Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase as Amirul Hajj as evidence of bipartisanship, noting that Wase was in a different political camp when appointed but was entrusted with the role in the larger interest of the state.

“We thought that we must demonstrate our commitment to bipartisanship, our commitment to inclusion and our commitment to making sure that Plateau people are seen as one,” he said.

He commended Wase for justifying the confidence reposed in him and for his leadership of the 2026 delegation.

Addressing concerns over public spending, Mutfwang said the programme should be judged by its contribution to peace and stability.

“For us, it is an investment in peace and stability of our state,” he said, adding that sustainable development cannot thrive where religious distrust persists.

He also cited the example of a Plateau woman who found and returned money belonging to another pilgrim during the 2025 Hajj as the moral outcome government seeks to encourage.

Earlier, Amirul Hajj, Ahmed Idris Wase, presented the 2026 report and said the state sponsored more than half of the 1,334 pilgrims who participated, in addition to operational and logistical support. He disclosed that Plateau was recognised by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, with the governor receiving an award for performance and support to pilgrims.