EFCC detains NAHCON chair, 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 over the alleged mismanagement of the N90bn 2024 Hajj subsidy,  The PUNCH learnt on Wednesday.

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 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 that: “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.

Also, last week Wednesday, some top officials of the Hajj commission were arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged mismanagement or diversion of the N90bn subsidy.

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.

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.