The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, and the commission’s Secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over allegations of mismanaging ₦90 billion meant for the 2024 Hajj subsidy. The subsidy was intended to make the pilgrimage more affordable for Nigerian Muslims traveling to Saudi Arabia.
According to reports obtained by Punch, the EFCC has intensified its investigation into the financial dealings within NAHCON. A total of SR314,098 was recovered from Arabi and other senior officials during the ongoing probe. The agency claims that funds meant for operational costs were misappropriated, with officials allegedly overpaying themselves. For example, Arabi was entitled to receive SR15,929 for operational costs but instead took SR50,000. Other high-ranking officials also received significantly more than the approved amounts.
The EFCC alleged that: “The chairman fraudulently overpaid himself, the commissioners, secretary and directors for the 2024 hajj operational cost.”
“The chairman was entitled to SR15,929 but he got SR50,000; three commissioners who were meant to get SR 15,929 each received SR 40,000 each. The secretary got SR 30,000 instead of SR14,336. Directors/Chief of Staff received SR 30,000 instead of the SR2,550 they were entitled to. The total of SR314,098 were recovered from all of them.”
The investigation revealed that out of the ₦90 billion released by the Federal Government for the Hajj subsidy, SR8,614,175.27 remains unaccounted for. A document also showed that large sums of money were withdrawn in cash during the Hajj operations, but details on how these funds were used remain unclear.
The document partly read, “The sum of ₦90bn was released by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the National Hajj Commission to subsidise the 2024 Hajj Operations by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The total sum of ₦1,764,705,937.62 was deducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria as bank charges.
“The sum of ₦88,235,294,063.72 was subsequently converted into United States dollars at the rate of ₦1,416.13, which amounted to USD 62,307,164.48 and thereafter transferred into NAHCON British SAAB Account in Saudi Arabia.
“The sum of USD 62,307,164.48 was converted to Saudi Riyal at the rate of ₦3,748, which amounted to the sum of SR 233,527,252.47.
“That the opening balance of the IBAN-E track for 2024 Hajj activities was SR 19,813,810.89 and has an inflow of SR 485,000,000.00 from NAHCON with a closing balance of SR 78,985,266.03.
“That the closing balance is inclusive of the SR20,637,908.23 refunded from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Saudi Arabia.
“That the total sum of SR 22, 815,367.74 was withdrawn cash from the British SAAB account by one Abubakar Muhammed Lamin in Saudi Arabia during the 2024 Hajj operation.
“The expected cash payment for services and allowances to staff and stakeholders is SR 14,905,910.47.
“That the total sum of SR 8,614,175.27 cash withdrawal is yet to be accounted for by NAHCON.”
