Saudi-Donated Ramadan Dates For Free Distribution Sold At High Prices In Kano and Other Northern States

 

Social media users raised alarm after spotting the dates officially donated by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, being sold instead of being given to the needy as intended.

Dates donated by the Saudi Arabian government for free distribution during Ramadan have allegedly entered markets in Kano and other northern Nigerian cities, where they are being sold at high prices.

 

Social media users raised alarm after spotting the dates officially donated by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, being sold instead of being given to the needy as intended.

Yasir Ramadan Gwale, a Facebook user, shared an image of the donated dates with the inscription that they were "not for sale." 

He wrote: "Alhamdulillah. The dates that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, gave to Nigeria have now arrived. As written on the leather bag, the dates are not for sale. Anyone who sees them being sold in a shop or market should report them to the nearest police station. Anyone who has not received the dates and is patient will receive a message, God willing."

Despite the clear directive, other Nigerians quickly pointed out that the donated dates were being sold in markets across the region. 

Responding to Yasir's post, another user, Ridwan Mustapha, boldly admitted to selling the dates in his shop in Kano, stating: "If you come to my shop now at Kurmi Market, Kano, you'll find it at an expensive price. We sell it for 8,000. Buy it or leave it. May Allah reward Saudi Arabia and punish the oppressors of Nigeria."

His claim was corroborated by other Nigerians on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), who narrated their experiences of seeing or being offered the donated dates for sale.