Alhaji Jalal Ahmad-Arabi, Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON)
EFCC to quiz NAHCON chairman over N90bn Hajj subsidy
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned Malam Jalal Arabi, Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), to its headquarters in Abuja.
Arabi is scheduled to meet with EFCC investigators at 10:00 am today to explain how the commission utilized the N90 billion subsidy allocated for the 2024 Hajj exercise.
Sources within the EFCC have indicated that Arabi will also need to provide detailed accounts of how NAHCON distributed the funds among pilgrims. This inquiry stems from multiple petitions alleging financial mismanagement and maltreatment of pilgrims during the 2024 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
An EFCC insider emphasized the agency’s commitment to addressing financial crimes impartially, stating, “In the EFCC, nothing concerns us with religion or tribe. What is important for us is to tame financial crimes and other fraudulent activities in our society.”
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When reached for comment, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale stated that he would verify the details of the invitation and respond accordingly, though he had not done so by the time of this report.
In a press briefing on Monday, Arabi explained that each pilgrim who paid through the government quota received N1.6 million in support due to the naira’s instability. He noted that the commission had sought government assistance after the Central Bank of Nigeria’s foreign exchange reforms made previous payments inadequate. Instead of a concessionary exchange rate, the president approved a N90 billion intervention to assist the pilgrims.
The handling of the 2024 Hajj has also drawn criticism from Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, who has called for the dissolution of NAHCON.
Bago’s criticism centers on inadequate accommodations provided for Tent A pilgrims, which included several state governors and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen.
(DailyTrust)
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