‘EFCC Detains NAHCON Chair, Recovers 314,098 Saudi Riyal’

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 allegations of mismanagement of the ₦90 billion 2024 Hajj subsidy.

According to a document obtained by Punch, on Wednesday, the anti-graft agency revealed that a sum of SR314,098 was recovered from Arabi and other high-ranking officials of NAHCON.

The EFCC’s investigation found that funds from the ₦90 billion Hajj subsidy were fraudulently misappropriated, with Arabi allegedly overpaying himself and others for operational costs.

The document further revealed the approved 2024 Hajj operational costs for top NAHCON officials as outlined in the budget: $4,250 for the Chairman/CEO, $12,750 for Commissioners, $3,825 for the Secretary, and $15,300 for Directors/Chief of Staff.

The EFCC has intensified its probe into the financial dealings of NAHCON, seeking to uncover further details about the alleged mismanagement of funds meant to subsidize the Hajj pilgrimage for Nigerian pilgrims.

The 2024 Hajj subsidy, valued at ₦90 billion, was intended to ease the financial burden on Nigerian pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia for the religious pilgrimage.

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 ₦90bn subsidy.

On Wednesday, a source in the EFCC 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 source said on condition of anonymity because they could not speak officially.

A document sighted by the platform revealed that SR 8,614,175.27 cash withdrawal out of the ₦90bn released by the Federal Government to the commission is yet to be accounted for by NAHCON.

The document partly read, “The sum of ₦90bn 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 ₦1,764,705,937.62 was deducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria as bank charges.

“The sum of ₦88,235,294,063.72 was subsequently converted into United States dollars at the rate of ₦1,416.13, 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 ₦3,748, 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 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.

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 tour, also recoveries were made for services not rendered of the sum of SR 1,026,000.00 and SR 1,780,019.99, being purported 7.5% of consultancy paid to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for debt recover of the sum SR20, 637,908.23 from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Saudi Arabia.”

The document stated that all supporting 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 the sum of SAR 780, 019, 59 to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd on April 14, 2024.

The document further stated, “The first suspect, Jalal Arabi, confessed that the consultant did not render any services.

“A meeting of the Expanded Transitional Exco was held on 25th January 2024 with seven members and 18 staff in attendance but the payment of the consultancy services to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd was not discussed.

“The commission’s secretary slotted the approval for the payment of the 7.5% consultancy to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd in the minutes of the Expanded Transitional Exco meeting as item 10 under AOB to enable the perfection of the documentation to steal the funds.

“That the said sum of SR1,026,000.00, equivalent to about ₦430,920,000 Million, was also recovered from one Eastern Gulf Company Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”