The 2026 Hajj pilgrimage has reached its climax as over one million pilgrims from around the world gather on the plain of Arafah to perform the essential rites of Hajj. This comes amid economic hardship, rising petrol prices triggered by the Middle East war, and insurgency, which have driven the price of sheep in Nigeria up ahead of Eid-al-Adha.
Approximately 50,000 Nigerian pilgrims, who were earlier relocated to the tent city of Mina on the outskirts of Makkah, have now moved to Arafah, where supplications are offered and accepted. At Arafat, pilgrims who are privileged to stand on the plain to fulfill their religious obligation are expected to remain under makeshift tents to offer prayers between early afternoon and sunset.
According to Islamic teachings, pilgrims on the plain of Arafah immerse themselves in praises and invocation of their creator. Afterward, they proceed to Muzdalifah, another place of high spiritual importance, where they observe Maghrib and Isha prayers together and spend the night in the open camp.
Special Prayers by Kano Pilgrims
Meanwhile, hundreds of pilgrims from Kano State held special prayer sessions yesterday for the re-election of their governor, Abba Yusuf, as well as for lasting peace, unity, and development in Kano and Nigeria at large. The prayers took place at the Mina Hajj Camp shortly before joining millions of other pilgrims from different parts of the world at Arafah.
Ram Market Sluggish Amid Rising Prices
Ram traders lamented sluggish sales as herds stood under the rain on Friday at Kara Market, a sprawling livestock hub along the Lagos-Ogun border in South-West Nigeria. The market receives thousands of animals daily from northern Nigeria, where most of the country's livestock is reared, as Muslims prepare for the yearly festival.
Roughly half of Nigeria's population is Muslim, and demand for sheep surges during the celebrations. However, traders told AFP that sales have been slow this year as the cost of livestock has risen sharply. Prices of sheep, which are favored for the celebrations, range from N250,000 (about $183) to N1.2 million, depending on the size. Comparable animals sold for between N150,000 and N1 million last year, said trader Abdullahi Bukar.
He attributed the price hike to insurgency in the North-East, multiple taxes, and illegal toll collections by security officials. Despite the high prices, shoppers waded through the muddy market in search of better bargains as the downpour eased to a drizzle on Friday.
