CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

NIGERIA

How National Hajj Commission Officials Overpaid Selves For 2024 Hajj Operational Costs, Mismanaged N90Billion Fund


August 15, 2024

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Jalal Arabi, and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, are currently in the custody of the EFCC.

Following controversies that greeted the management of the 2024 Hajj N90 billion fund and subsequent invitation of the National Hajj Commission Chairman by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the EFCC says it has recovered some misappropriated funds from the hajj programme.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Jalal Arabi, and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, are currently in the custody of the EFCC.

Quoting official documents, The PUNCH reported that the anti-graft agency said, “A total of SR314,098 was recovered,” from the NAHCON chairman and other high-ranking officials.

The EFCC in the ongoing investigation revealed that from the N90 billion Hajj subsidy, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others the necessary operational cost.

Also, according to the document, the approved 2024 Hajj operational cost for the Chairman/CEO, Commissioners, Secretary and Directors/Chief of Staff in the 2024 budget are stipulated as $4,250, $12,750, $3,825 and $15,300, respectively.

The EFCC accused the chairman of fraudulently overpaying himself, commissioners, secretary and directors for the 2024 hajj operational cost.

It said, “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 anti-graft agency first grilled Arabi for hours on July 29 and released him on bail.