The Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, (NAHCON) Jalal Arabi, and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, are currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged mismanagement of the N90bn 2024 Hajj subsidy.
In a document sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency said, “A total of SR314,098 was recovered,” from the NAHCON chairman and other ranking officials.
The EFCC stated that its investigation revealed that from the N90bn Hajj subsidy, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others the necessary operational cost.
The 2024 Hajj operations costs for the Chairman/CEO, Commissioners, Secretary, and Directors/Chief of Staff are $4,250, $12,750, $3,825, and $15,300, respectively, as per the authorised budget.
The EFCC, however, alleged that “the chairman fraudulently overpaid himself, the commissioners, secretary, and directors for the 2024 Hajj operational cost.
“The chairman was entitled to SR 15,929, but he got SR 50,000; three commissioners who were meant to get SR 15,929 each received SR 40,000 each. The secretary got SR 30,000 instead of SR 14,336. Directors/Chief of Staff received SR 30,000 instead of the SR 2,550 they were entitled to. The total of SR314,098 was recovered from all of them.”
The EFCC first grilled Arabi for hours on July 29 and released him on bail.
Also, last week Wednesday, some top officials of the Hajj commission were arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged mismanagement or diversion of the N90bn subsidy.
However, on Wednesday, a source in the EFCC told our correspondent that the NAHCON Chairman was taken in again on Wednesday for questioning and was detained.
“The Secretary and Chairman of the commission are in our custody and are facing serious interrogations on the N90bn subsidy, among other allegations,” the source said on condition of anonymity because they could not speak officially.
According to a document obtained exclusively by our correspondent, NAHCON has yet to account for SR 8,614,175.27 in cash withdrawals from the N90 billion given by the Federal Government to the Commission.
The document partly read, “The sum of N90bn 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 N1, 764,705,937.62 was deducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria as bank charges.
“The sum of N88, 235,294,063.72 was subsequently converted into United States dollars at the rate of N1,416.13, 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 N3,748, 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.”
Meanwhile, an examination of the commission’s actions since 2022 has resulted in the recovery of estacodes paid to workers who did not participate in study tours, as well as payments made to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd. for services not provided.
The document stated, “While investigation commenced on the criminal aspect, which has led to the recovery of Estacodes paid to staff who did not travel to Indonesia for study tours, also recoveries were made for services not rendered in the sum of SR 1,026,000.00 and SR 1,780,019.99, purportedly 7.5% of consultancy paid to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for debt recovery of the sum of SR 20,637.908.23 from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Saudi Arabia.”N
