The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reportedly released the sacked chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Jalal Arabi, and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, who was detained in the commission’s custody for days.
A source from the EFFC office who spoke anonymously on Wednesday explained that the suspects were released on Monday after eating their bail conditions and a series of investigations. The source explained that the investigations were still ongoing even with their release.
The two senior officers were arrested and detained by the EFCC for an alleged withdrawal and mismanagement of the N90bn 2024 Hajj intervention fund. The EFFC had given them different bail conditions the previous day, but they could not meet them until Monday, when they were released.
In an initial recovery from the EFCC, a total of 314,098 Saudi Riyal was recovered from the suspects. Despite staying in EFFC custody for days, the source explained that no further recoveries were made by the commission.
Efforts to speak with the spokesperson of the EFCC failed as he did answer his phone calls and failed to respond to massages sent to him by news men.
In an earlier report, the EFCC investigation showed that the former chairman of the Hajj commission had overpaid himself and other senior staff the necessary operational costs for a total of N90 bn in Hajj subsidies.
Also, according to the EFCC, a total of 314,098 Saudi Riyal was recovered from the Arabi and other officials of the Hajj commission. The probe of the spending is currently ongoing by the EFCC.
Despite a series of questions, the EFCC report stated that a total of SR 8,614,175.27 cash withdrawal has not been accounted for by NAHCON,
Other fraudulent activities discovered by the EFCC since 2022 included the payment of funds to funds to staff of the commission who did not undertake any study tour. Also, the EFFC found that NAHCON had paid a certain amount to Huraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for services that have not been
Apart from the Hajj intervention fund, an investigation into the commission’s activities since 2022 resulted in the recovery of estacodes paid to staff who did not undertake study tours and payments made to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for services that were not rendered.
Also, documents for payment of the consultancy services, including the Executive Chairman’s approval, were fraudulently backdated to January 23, 2024, to enable the payment of SAR 780, 019, 59 to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd on April 14, 2024, for some services that the company has noted having been delivered.
In a response from the EFFC, it was noted that the sacked chairman had confessed that the monies were paid to the consultant who failed to render any service.
As the chairman was in EFCC custody, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, announced Prof Abdullahi Usman’s appointment as the new chairman of NAHCON.
The appointment was announced by the special adviser to the president on media and publicity Ajiri Ngilare on Monday in a statement. He noted that the president had charged the new chairman to act with integrity and guided the commission to excellence.
