State governments and individuals spent at least N136.5bn on Hajj in 2017, despite the economic recession in the country, Punch reports.

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) had said no fewer than 91,000 Nigerians had arrived in Saudi Arabia out of the over 1.7 million foreign pilgrims in the country.

NAHCON had disclosed the package for travellers from Nasarawa State as N1,544,659.85; Niger, N1,525,483.30; Ondo, N1,485,096.07; Katsina, N1,498,502.70; Bauchi, N1,523,122.41; Plateau, N1,529,036.80; Sokoto, N1,521,461.65; and Kwara, N1,501,571.27, among others.

According to Punch, information Also revealed that some states sponsored people to Hajj this year.

Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari had said his administration had been subsidising Hajj exercise for Muslims with N1bn annually.

Bauchi State Government spent over N262,650,000 as subsidy on the state’s Muslim pilgrims to this year’s Hajj.

The Plateau state government also rescinded on its decision to no longer sponsor both Muslims and Christians on pilgrimage.

It was reported that the state government had sponsored 616 Muslims for the 2017 Hajj.