The head of Nigeria’s Hajj commission and its secretary have been detained by anti-corruption investigators over the alleged mismanagement of a 90bn naira (£92m) government subsidy.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is holding Jalal Arabi, executive chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), and secretary Abdullahi Kontagora for questioning.
The EFCC says it has recovered 314,098 Saudi Riyals (£67,000) from Mr Arabi and other senior officials. They are accused of fraudulently overpaying themselves for operational costs related to the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage.
Documents seen by Nigerian newspaper The Punch reveal the complex financial trail of the subsidy:
“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“That the total sum of SR 22,815,367.74 was withdrawn cash from the British SAAB account by one Abubakar Muhammed Lamin in Saudi Arabia during the 2024 Hajj operation.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.”
This probe follows last week’s arrests of other NAHCON officials by a separate anti-corruption body over similar allegations.
The case has drawn attention to the use of government funds for religious pilgrimage subsidies in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.
Neither Mr Arabi nor NAHCON have publicly commented on the allegations. The EFCC says its investigation is ongoing.
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 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 N430,920,000 Million, was also recovered from one Eastern Gulf Company Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
