Fact Check: Model of ‘Kaaba’ in Nigeria for Pilgrim Training, Not Replacement for Hajj in Mecca

Based on the detailed fact check provided by PRNigeria, the claim that a replica of the “Holy Kaaba” in Mecca was built for Muslim pilgrims in Nigeria appears to be false.

The key points of the PRNigeria FactCheck  https://prnigeria.com/2024/05/26/holy-kaaba-pilgrims-nigeria/ are:

The viral video shows Muslims dressed in pilgrimage attire circumambulating a model of the Kaaba at the Hajj Camp in Kano, Nigeria

This model of the Kaaba is part of the pre-departure orientation and training exercises conducted at the Hajj Camp for intending pilgrims from Kano State.

Speaking to PRNigeria, the Spokesperson of Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Sulaiman A. Dederi confirmed that the Kaaba model and other Hajj-related structures at the camp have been used for over 20 years to train pilgrims before their actual Hajj journey to Saudi Arabia

According to him the purpose of this setup is to familiarize the pilgrims with the rituals and sites they will encounter during the Hajj, not to replace the actual Kaaba in Mecca.

Therefore, the claim that a replica of the “Holy Kaaba” was built for Muslim pilgrims in Nigeria is misleading and false, as the model at the Kano Hajj Camp is a training tool, not intended to replace the original Kaaba in Mecca, the fact check concluded.