Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Body, EFCC Detains National Hajj Commission Chair, Secretary Over Alleged Mismanagement Of N90Billion Hajj Subsidy

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 2 apical officials, Arabi and Kontagora, are facing probe and detention implicit alleged mismanagement of the N90 cardinal allocated for the 2024 Hajj subsidy.

According to EFCC sources, preliminary investigations person uncovered imaginable fiscal irregularities and maltreatment of office.

The subsidy, meant to alleviate the fiscal load connected Nigerian pilgrims, has been mishandled, sparking concerns astir the transparency and accountability of NAHCON's leadership.

The PUNCH reports that, according to a document, the anti-graft bureau disclosed that a “total of SR314,098 was recovered" from the NAHCON president and different high-ranking officials.

The EFCC's probe revealed that from the N90 cardinal Hajj subsidy, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others beyond the authorised operational costs.

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The papers further specified the approved 2024 Hajj operational costs for assorted officials successful the fund arsenic follows: Chairman/CEO - $4,250, Commissioners - $12,750, Secretary - $3,825, and Directors/Chief of Staff - $15,300.

However, the EFCC alleged that the president and others were fraudulently overpaid. The president was entitled to SR15,929 but received SR50,000; 3 commissioners, each expected to person SR15,929, were paid SR40,000 each; the caput received SR30,000 alternatively of SR14,336; and the Directors/Chief of Staff were paid SR30,000 alternatively of the SR2,550 they were entitled to. In total, SR314,098 was recovered from them.

The anti-graft bureau initially questioned Arabi for hours connected July 29 earlier releasing him connected bail.

Last Wednesday, apical officials of the Hajj committee were besides arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission implicit alleged mismanagement oregon diversion of the N90 cardinal subsidy.

On Wednesday, a root wrong the EFCC confirmed that the NAHCON Chairman was again detained for questioning.

"The Secretary and Chairman of the committee are successful our custody and are undergoing superior interrogation regarding the N90 cardinal subsidy, among different allegations," the root revealed, speaking connected information of anonymity.

A papers obtained besides disclosed that SR8,614,175.27 successful currency withdrawals from the N90 cardinal subsidy released by the Federal Government remained unaccounted for by NAHCON.

The papers outlined that the authorities released N90 cardinal to the National Hajj Commission to subsidise the 2024 Hajj operations. From this, the Central Bank of Nigeria deducted N1,764,705,937.62 arsenic slope charges.

The remaining N88,235,294,063.72 was converted into USD astatine a complaint of N1,416.13, amounting to USD 62,307,164.48, which was past transferred to NAHCON's British SAAB Account successful Saudi Arabia.

This magnitude was converted to Saudi Riyal astatine a complaint of N3,748, resulting successful SR233,527,252.47.

The papers further elaborate that the opening equilibrium for the IBAN-E way for 2024 Hajj activities was SR19,813,810.89, with an inflow of SR485,000,000.00 from NAHCON, leaving a closing equilibrium of SR78,985,266.03, inclusive of a SR20,637,908.23 refund from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah successful Saudi Arabia.

It besides noted that SR22,815,367.74 was withdrawn successful currency from the British SAAB relationship by 1 Abubakar Muhammed Lamin during the 2024 Hajj operation.

However, the expected currency outgo for services and allowances to unit and stakeholders was SR14,905,910.47, leaving SR8,614,175.27 unaccounted for by NAHCON.

The probe into the commission's activities, dating backmost to 2022, led to the betterment of funds paid arsenic estacodes to unit who did not undertake survey tours, arsenic good arsenic payments made to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for services that were not rendered.

The papers revealed that the probe besides uncovered fraudulent backdating of outgo approvals for consultancy services to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd, starring to the betterment of SR1,026,000.00, equivalent to astir N430,920,000, from 1 Eastern Gulf Company successful Saudi Arabia.

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