Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has said his administration’s sponsorship of Muslim pilgrims to the annual Hajj is a deliberate investment in peace, religious harmony and inclusive governance, rather than an act of political patronage.
The Governor made the remark on Thursday, September 3, 2026, while receiving the report of the 2026 Hajj operation at the New Government House, Rayfield, Jos. He said the policy reflects his commitment to building a Plateau where citizens of all faiths and political backgrounds can participate equally in the development of the state.
Mutfwang explained that government’s responsibility goes beyond providing infrastructure and economic opportunities. According to him, sustainable development requires creating conditions for peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and shared responsibility among citizens. He described pilgrimage as an opportunity for moral renewal and spiritual reflection, stressing that it reinforces the understanding that all human beings are equal before God.
“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 longstanding religious and communal tensions in Plateau State, the Governor warned that continued emphasis on Muslim-Christian differences would only undermine collective aspirations for peace and development. He urged citizens to replace suspicion and division with a stronger sense of shared destiny, noting that Plateau people “have no reason to remain divided.”
Quoting the popular admonition that people must either learn to live together as brothers or perish as fools, Mutfwang declared, “There is no foolish man on the Plateau. We will continue to live as brothers.” He said the lessons from the Hajj operation should extend beyond the successful pilgrimage to a broader commitment to inclusion, tolerance and responsible citizenship.
The Governor cited the appointment of former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, as Amirul Hajj as evidence of his administration’s commitment to bipartisanship. He noted that although they belonged to different political camps at the time, the decision was guided by the larger interest of Plateau 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, commending Wase for justifying the confidence reposed in him.
Mutfwang also addressed concerns over public expenditure on pilgrimage, urging citizens to consider the programme’s value and its contribution to peace and social stability. “For us, it is an investment in peace and stability of our state,” he said, adding that development cannot thrive where religious distrust persists.
He highlighted the moral dimension of pilgrimage, recalling the example of a Plateau woman who returned money belonging to another pilgrim during the 2025 Hajj. Such acts of honesty, he said, represent the deeper outcomes government hopes to encourage.
The Governor further commended the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board for strengthening its processes and closing loopholes that previously allowed individuals to manipulate or sell Hajj slots.
Earlier, the Amirul Hajj, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, presented the 2026 Hajj report and praised the administration for what he described as unprecedented support for Plateau pilgrims. He disclosed that the state sponsored more than half of the 1,334 pilgrims who participated in the 2026 Hajj, in addition to providing substantial operational and logistical support.
Wase noted that Plateau State received recognition from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria for its performance, with Governor Mutfwang receiving an award. He attributed the successful operation to effective collaboration among the Pilgrims Board, Ulamas and other stakeholders, as well as improved mobilisation across senatorial zones and local government areas.
The 2026 Hajj programme, he said, has reinforced the administration’s broader message that development on the Plateau cannot be sustained through religious or political exclusion. By supporting citizens across faiths and political divides, the government is positioning inclusion, peace and social cohesion as essential pillars of the state’s development agenda.
