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The Katsina State First Lady, Zulaihat Dikko Radda, in partnership with Hasene International Organisation and Baris Charity Foundation, Nigeria, on Thursday distributed fresh cow meat to over 6,000 vulnerable individuals across all 361 political wards of the state.

 

Our correspondent learnt that each local government area received between 10 and 12 cows, while Katsina LG alone received 90 cows, from which 1,000 meat packages were shared just as half of the packages were reserved for people with special needs while the remaining portions were distributed to orphans, internally displaced persons, the less privileged, and other vulnerable community members.

 

To ensure fairness, transparency, and efficient delivery, she constituted a dedicated oversight committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Commissioners for Special Duties, Internal Security, and Sports, Senior Special Assistants on Livestock and Disability Affairs.

 

The First Lady and her team also toured various key institutions across the state, such as the juvenile correctional facility, Katsina old and new prisons, Katsina State Orphanage, General Hospital Katsina, and the Narcotics Rehabilitation Centre, with not just food, but messages of hope and love, offering heartfelt support where needed.

Speaking on behalf of the First Lady in one of the places visited, Abdulkadir Nasir said, “Her Excellency wants you to know that you are not forgotten. She sends her love and prayers, hoping everyone can celebrate Eid with dignity, joy, and a sense of belonging.

 

“More than charity, this initiative reflects Hajiya Zulaihat Radda’s enduring philosophy of service, compassion, and inclusive leadership.

 

“It is about being present not only in times of celebration, but also in moments of silence where kindness speaks the loudest.

 

“As the people of Katsina mark this sacred season, they do so with renewed strength and faith, thanks to a First Lady whose actions continue to echo deeply in the hearts of the people she serves.”

 

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called on those in leadership to demonstrate compassion and place the well-being of the people above all, in accordance with divine guidance.

 

In a statement from his media office on Thursday, congratulating Muslims on Eid al-Adha, Atiku encouraged Nigerians, especially Muslims, to embody kindness and peace in their daily lives.

 

He stated, “The essence of Eid-al-Adha, rooted in the traditions of Prophet Ibrahim and upheld by Prophet Muhammad, calls us to reflect kindness and peace in our lives.

 

‘The Waziri Adamawa urged Muslims to extend charity to the less privileged, noting, kindness and generosity are integral to our faith – values we must uphold not only during this celebration but at all times.”

 

He also urged leaders at all levels to embody the spirit of compassion and sacrifice reflected in the festival.

 

The statement added, “Leadership demands forbearance and commitment to the greater good. I appeal to those in authority to show compassion and prioritise the welfare of the people, in line with God’s command.

 

“Atiku concluded by advocating for peace and unity, encouraging Nigerians to pray for harmony in their homes and society during this sacred time.”

 

The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Ajibola Basiru, has urged Muslims to celebrate the forthcoming Eid-ul-Adha with love, moderation, and reflection.

 

Basiru, who is seeking the APC governorship ticket for the 2026 Osun governorship poll, in a statement by the spokesperson for the Senator Ajibola Basiru Campaign Organisation, Prof. Sulaiman Ajala, called for prayers for the prosperity of the state and peaceful conduct of the August 8, 2026, governorship election.

 

He felicitated Muslims on witnessing another Eid-ul-Adha celebration.

 

The governorship aspirant admonished the Muslim Ummah to extend kindness to everybody irrespective of their religious beliefs.

“We thank the Almighty Allah for another grace of life to be part of this year’s celebrations. It’s a privilege, not by our doing, strength, or power. I want to appreciate the people of Osun State for sustaining their confidence in the APC. I appreciate the sacrifices we have made so far under the clueless administration in the state.

 

“I treasure the support of our people for the Alubarika Movement. I relish your unrelenting efforts and admire your courage in ensuring that our determination to govern the state sees the light of day.

 

“I still want to prod us to use this period of acceptance of prayers to pray for our dear state, nation, and party, particularly APC’s triumph in next year’s governorship poll in Osun and other elections elsewhere,” he added.

 

Muslim pilgrims prayed atop Mount Arafat on Thursday during the high point of the annual hajj pilgrimage, as Saudi officials called on participants to refrain from being outside during the hottest hours of the day.

 

Thousands of pilgrims began to gather before dawn around the hill and the surrounding plain where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon.

 

While some arrived early to take advantage of the relatively cool morning, carrying colourful umbrellas, many pilgrims will remain for hours of prayers and Koran recitals until the evening in the most arduous portion of the hajj.

 

After sunset they will head to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and the sprawling tent city of Mina, where they will gather pebbles so they can perform the symbolic “stoning of the devil”.

 

“This is something that I used to see every year on the TV screen during hajj and I always thought: ‘I wish I could be here’,” said 33-year-old Ali from Pakistan, one of 1.5 million pilgrims who had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage.

 

“I’ve been trying to get here… for the past 3 years,” he added as he gazed at the mount. “I feel very blessed.”

 

Hundreds of pilgrims dressed in white dotted the mount itself, with many more at its foot praying or taking pictures.

 

Earlier this week, Saudi authorities called on pilgrims to stay inside their tents between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm on Thursday, when the desert sun is at its harshest.

 

Fans spraying mist and providing cool air were dispersed at the foot of the mount.

 

Temperatures this year have already exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) as one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings, bringing together devotees from around the globe, kicked off earlier this week

 

Officials have beefed up heat mitigation efforts aiming to avoid a repeat of last year’s hajj, which saw 1,301 pilgrims die as temperatures reached 51.8C.

 

“I came here early to (avoid) the sun and later I will pray inside my tent,” said 54-year-old Adel Ismail, from Syria.

To make this year’s pilgrimage safer, authorities have expanded infrastructure, deployed thousands of extra personnel and relied on an arsenal of high-tech tools to help better manage crowds.

 

Authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials, doubling their efforts against heat-related illness following the lethal heatwave of 2024.

Shaded areas have been expanded by 50,000 square metres (12 acres), thousands more medics will be on standby, and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed, the hajj minister has told AFP.

 

Through tears of joy, Iman Abdel Khaleq said she had wanted to perform the hajj for 10 years and was overwhelmed with emotion as she arrived at Arafat.

 

“It’s a big dream for me that I had almost given hope up of realising,” the woman in her fifties told AFP from the foot of the mount.

 

Authorities said a majority of the deaths in 2024 were among unregistered pilgrims who lacked access to amenities like air-conditioned tents and buses.

 

This year, they have also cracked down on unregistered pilgrims looking to sneak into Mecca, relying on frequent raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts.

 

Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota basis and distributed to individuals by a lottery.

 

But even for those who can obtain them, the steep costs prompt many to attempt the hajj without a permit, even though they risk arrest and deportation if caught.

 

Saudi Arabia earns billions of dollars a year from the hajj, and the lesser pilgrimage known as umrah, undertaken at other times of the year.

 

AFP