The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken into custody the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, and the commission’s Secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora.
The two top officials, Arabi and Kontagora, are facing investigation and detention over alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion allocated for the 2024 Hajj subsidy.
According to EFCC sources, preliminary investigations have uncovered potential financial irregularities and abuse of office.
The subsidy, meant to alleviate the financial burden on Nigerian pilgrims, has been mishandled, sparking concerns about the transparency and accountability of NAHCON’s leadership.
The PUNCH reports that, according to a document, the anti-graft agency disclosed that a “total of SR314,098 was recovered” from the NAHCON chairman and other high-ranking officials.
The EFCC’s investigation revealed that from the N90 billion Hajj subsidy, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others beyond the authorised operational costs.
The document further specified the approved 2024 Hajj operational costs for various officials in the budget as follows: Chairman/CEO – $4,250, Commissioners – $12,750, Secretary – $3,825, and Directors/Chief of Staff – $15,300.
However, the EFCC alleged that the chairman and others were fraudulently overpaid. The chairman was entitled to SR15,929 but received SR50,000; three commissioners, each supposed to receive SR15,929, were paid SR40,000 each; the secretary received SR30,000 instead of SR14,336; and the Directors/Chief of Staff were paid SR30,000 instead of the SR2,550 they were entitled to. In total, SR314,098 was recovered from them.
The anti-graft agency initially questioned Arabi for hours on July 29 before releasing him on bail.
Last Wednesday, top officials of the Hajj commission were also arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged mismanagement or diversion of the N90 billion subsidy.
On Wednesday, a source within the EFCC confirmed that the NAHCON Chairman was again detained for questioning.
“The Secretary and Chairman of the commission are in our custody and are undergoing serious interrogation regarding the N90 billion subsidy, among other allegations,” the source revealed, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A document obtained also disclosed that SR8,614,175.27 in cash withdrawals from the N90 billion subsidy released by the Federal Government remained unaccounted for by NAHCON.
The document outlined that the government released N90 billion to the National Hajj Commission to subsidise the 2024 Hajj operations. From this, the Central Bank of Nigeria deducted N1,764,705,937.62 as bank charges.
The remaining N88,235,294,063.72 was converted into USD at a rate of N1,416.13, amounting to USD 62,307,164.48, which was then transferred to NAHCON’s British SAAB Account in Saudi Arabia.
This amount was converted to Saudi Riyal at a rate of N3,748, resulting in SR233,527,252.47.
The document further detailed that the opening balance for the IBAN-E track for 2024 Hajj activities was SR19,813,810.89, with an inflow of SR485,000,000.00 from NAHCON, leaving a closing balance of SR78,985,266.03, inclusive of a SR20,637,908.23 refund from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia.
It also noted that SR22,815,367.74 was withdrawn in cash from the British SAAB account by one Abubakar Muhammed Lamin during the 2024 Hajj operation.
However, the expected cash payment for services and allowances to staff and stakeholders was SR14,905,910.47, leaving SR8,614,175.27 unaccounted for by NAHCON.
The investigation into the commission’s activities, dating back to 2022, led to the recovery of funds paid as estacodes to staff who did not undertake study tours, as well as payments made to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for services that were not rendered.
The document revealed that the investigation also uncovered fraudulent backdating of payment approvals for consultancy services to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd, leading to the recovery of SR1,026,000.00, equivalent to approximately N430,920,000, from one Eastern Gulf Company in Saudi Arabia.
