NAHCON Boss Held As Agency Recovers 314,098 Saudi Riyal

The  Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, 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.

The anti-graft agency said in a statement document that, “A total of SR314,098 was recovered from the NAHCON chairman and other ranking officials."

The EFCC said its investigation revealed that from the N90bn 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, however, alleged, “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 anti-graft agency had first grilled Arabi for hours on July 29 and released him on bail as well as some top officials of the commission.

A source in the EFCC who did not want to be mentioned told Punch 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 EFCC said.

A document exclusively sighted by our correspondent revealed that SR 8,614,175.27 cash withdrawal out of the N90bn released by the Federal Government to the commission is yet to be accounted for by NAHCON.

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.”