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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained Jalal Arabi, the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), and Abdullahi Kontagora, the commission's secretary, over allegations of gross mismanagement of the ₦90 billion allocated for the 2024 Hajj subsidy.
This comes as part of an ongoing investigation into the commission's financial activities, which has already led to significant recoveries.
According to Punch on Wednesday, August 14, the EFCC revealed that it had recovered SR314,098 from Arabi and other senior officials of NAHCON.
The funds were allegedly part of fraudulent overpayments made from the subsidy fund.
"The chairman fraudulently overpaid himself, the commissioners, secretary, and directors for the 2024 Hajj operational cost," the EFCC document stated.
EFCC findings
Further details from the investigation revealed that the approved operational costs for key officials were grossly inflated.
While the chairman was entitled to SR15,929, he allegedly paid himself SR50,000.
Similarly, three commissioners entitled to SR15,929 reportedly received SR40,000 each. The secretary was paid SR30,000 instead of the stipulated SR14,336, and the directors/Chief of Staff received SR30,000, far exceeding their entitlement of SR2,550.
The EFCC's investigation into the mismanagement of the Hajj subsidy fund dates back to July 29, when Arabi was questioned for hours before being released on bail.
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The investigation intensified last week when the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) also arrested top NAHCON officials in connection with the alleged diversion of funds.
A source within the EFCC, who spoke anonymously, confirmed that Arabi and Kontagora were retaken into custody on Wednesday for further questioning.
"The Secretary and Chairman of the commission are in our custody and are facing serious interrogations on the ₦90bn subsidy, among other allegations," the source disclosed.
The scope of the EFCC's investigation extends beyond the inflated operational costs. A document sighted by Punch revealed that a substantial sum—SR8,614,175.27—withdrawn from the ₦90 billion Hajj subsidy remains unaccounted for.
The document detailed how the Federal Government's allocation was converted into U.S. dollars and subsequently transferred to NAHCON's British SAAB account in Saudi Arabia.
However, discrepancies in cash withdrawals, particularly those made by one Abubakar Muhammed Lamin during the 2024 Hajj operation, have raised red flags.
The investigation also uncovered other questionable financial activities dating back to 2022. Among these were payments made to staff who did not participate in authorised study tours and payments to Shuraka'a al-Khair Group Ltd for services that were never rendered.
Recoveries of fraudulent transactions
The EFCC recovered estacodes paid to staff who did not travel and identified fraudulent consultancy fees amounting to SR1,026,000.00 and SR1,780,019.99 paid to Shuraka'a al-Khair Group Ltd.
These payments purportedly were made for debt recovery from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia.
Further scrutiny revealed that all supporting documents for the consultancy payments, including approvals from the Executive Chairman, were backdated to January 23, 2024, to legitimise the disbursement of SR780,019.59 to Shuraka'a al-Khair Group Ltd on April 14, 2024.
In a shocking admission, Arabi confessed that the consultant did not render any services.
The ongoing investigation continues to unravel the extent of financial mismanagement within NAHCON.