The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, interrogated Jalal Arabi, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, over alleged mismanagement of the 2024 Hajj exercise funds, among others.
Our source learned that Arabi came to the EFCC’s offices in Jabi, Abuja, at 10 a.m. and was grilled for hours by EFCC investigators.
An source, who desired anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, told our correspondent that Jabi’s questioning was spurred by petitions filed against him.
The source said, “He was invited to the commission’s office to explain how his commission spent the N90bn subsidy provided for the 2024 hajj exercise.
“His invitation was a result of the petitions against the chairman and his management team to our office over the alleged mismanagement of funds in the commission and the 2024 Hajj exercise, among others.
“The allegations he was asked to respond to date back to 2021 and not just the issue of the just concluded exercise.”
The source added that “three directors from the commission have also been invited to explain what they know about the issue. They include the Director of Procurement, the Director of Finance, and the Director of the Programmes.”
When asked whether Jabi will be imprisoned or allowed to leave, the source stated that the anti-graft agency may not keep him.
“He may not be detained, but he will be asked to come back if needed at the end of the day; but presently, he is still being interrogated.
”The CEO has been invited; he has honoured the invitation; he will go back; there is no reason to keep him in custody when he is already complying.
”The new EFCC is operating in accordance with international best practices. You can see that most of the people invited are always allowed to go if they comply.”
When contacted, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale said he would get back to our correspondent on the issue.
At a post-Hajj press conference in Abuja on Monday, the NAHCON chairman stated that the N90 billion Hajj subsidy was transparently used.
“Each pilgrim was supported with N1,637,369.87 from the N90bn except for pilgrims under the Hajj Savings Scheme who enjoyed more.
“Hence, all registered intending pilgrims, except those on HSS, were required to pay a balance of N1,918,094.87 since the N90bn was not sufficient to make up for the balance,” Arabi said.
In June, Mohammed Bago, Niger State Governor, called on the National Assembly to probe the N90bn released by the Federal Government to subsidise the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
Bago described NAHCON’s performance as a failure, saying, “The N90bn subsidy paid by the Federal government for the Hajj operation, with some states, including Niger, paying about billions of naira; there is need for the National Assembly to probe the N90bn the Federal Government released for the 2024 Hajj.
“It is ridiculous that pilgrims were given only $400 to take care of themselves for about 40 days despite the payment of N8m by each pilgrim.
“The N90bn would have made more impact if shared with states. The money is enough to run the Universal Basic Education budget for four years.
