The Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, and the commission's Secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, are currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of mismanaging the N90 billion 2024 Hajj subsidy.
A document obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday revealed that the EFCC had recovered a total of SR314,098 from the NAHCON chairman and other senior officials. The anti-graft agency's investigation indicated that Arabi and others had fraudulently overpaid themselves from the allocated operational costs of the Hajj subsidy.
The document outlined that the approved operational costs for the Chairman, Commissioners, Secretary, and Directors/Chief of Staff were set at $4,250, $12,750, $3,825, and $15,300, respectively. However, the EFCC alleged that Arabi paid himself SR50,000, significantly more than the SR15,929 he was entitled to. Similarly, three commissioners received SR40,000 each instead of SR15,929, while the Secretary received SR30,000 instead of SR14,336. Directors/Chief of Staff received SR30,000, far exceeding the SR2,550 they were allocated. In total, SR314,098 was recovered from all involved.
Arabi had initially been interrogated by the EFCC on July 29 and released on bail, but was taken in again for further questioning on Wednesday. A source within the EFCC confirmed that both the Chairman and Secretary were in custody and facing serious interrogations regarding the N90 billion subsidy and other related allegations.
Additionally, the EFCC document revealed that a sum of SR8,614,175.27 in cash withdrawals from the N90 billion subsidy remains unaccounted for by NAHCON. The document detailed the conversion of the funds from naira to U.S. dollars and then to Saudi riyals, with a closing balance in NAHCON’s British SAAB account in Saudi Arabia amounting to SR78,985,266.03, inclusive of a refund from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The investigation also uncovered irregularities dating back to 2022, including recoveries of estacodes paid to staff who did not participate in study tours and payments made to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for services that were never rendered. The document noted that payments to the consultancy group were fraudulently backdated to enable disbursement.
Arabi reportedly confessed that the consultant did not provide any services, further implicating the commission’s leadership in the mismanagement of funds.
As investigations continue, the EFCC has vowed to hold those responsible accountable for the misuse of public funds meant for the Hajj operations.
