No fewer than 6,000 less privileged persons have benefited from ₦132 million Zakkat (alms) distributed by the Hadejia Emirate Council of Jigawa in 2023.
The council’s Spokesperson, Alhaji Muhammad Talaki, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Wednesday. He said the Zakkat items included cash, grains and livestock.
Talaki said the Chairman of the Zakkat Collection and Distribution Committee in the area, Alhaji Abdulfatah Abdulwahab, announced the figures while reviewing the exercise at the launch of the 2024 Zakkat distribution in the area on Tuesday.
“Hadejia Emirate Zakkat Committee have collected and distributed Zakkat worth 132 million in the area in 2023".
Abdulwahab explained this while reviewing the conduct of exercise during the launch of this year’s Zakkat distribution at the Emir’s Palace in Hadejia.
"Over 6,000 less privileged people, comprising orphans, vulnerable and physically challenged persons have benefited,” Talaki said.
He explained that the chairman stressed importance and obligation of Zakkat in Islam, saying it is designed to be distributed at point of collection. The spokesperson added that Abdulwahab therefore urged wealthy individuals in the area to continue to give out Zakkat in support of the needy.
According to him, the Emir of Hadejia, Dr Adamu Abubakar, commended the Zakkat committee at all levels in the area towards successful disbursement of the alms in 2023. Talaki explained that Abubakar also charged the committees to redouble their efforts and redesign their method of giving out Zakkat so as to reach out to more beneficiaries considering the present economic situation.
He added the emir, who inaugurated the 2024 Zakkat distribution of ₦1.2 million cash to120 beneficiaries, called on them to make good use of the money and pray for peace, stability and harmony to the area, state and nation in general.
The spokesperson quoted two of the beneficiaries, Messrs Ibrahim Danboyi and Iya Baballiya as commending the emirate for the gesture and promised to make judicious use of the money.