President Bola Tinubu has removed Jalal Arabi from his position as the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). In a statement released by Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale, it was announced that Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman has been nominated as the new Chairman of the agency.
“Professor Usman is a renowned scholar with qualifications from two Islamic centers of excellence—the University of Madinah and Peshawar University in Pakistan. He is also well-versed in Hajj operations, having served as the Chairman of the Kano State Pilgrims Board, where he successfully managed the largest quota of state pilgrims in the country,” Ngelale stated.
The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation. President Tinubu expects the new Chairman of NAHCON to perform his duties with integrity, transparency, and the highest fidelity to the nation.
Arabi, who was appointed in October, faced difficulties over the 2024 Hajj operations, for which the Federal Government had released N90 billion in subsidies. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Arabi and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, concerning the financial discrepancies.
An EFCC source revealed that a total of 314,098 Saudi Riyals was recovered from the sacked NAHCON chairman. The source explained, "The chairman fraudulently overpaid himself, the commissioners, secretary, and directors for the 2024 Hajj operational cost."
According to the source, the chairman was entitled to SR15,929 but received SR50,000. Three commissioners, each meant to get SR15,929, received SR40,000 each. The secretary received SR30,000 instead of SR14,336, and directors/chief of staff received SR30,000 instead of the SR2,550 they were entitled to. The total of SR314,098 was recovered from all of them.
This development underscores the government's commitment to ensuring accountability and integrity within its agencies.
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