Some top officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria have been arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged mismanagement or diversion of the N90 billion released by the federal government to subsidise the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
The officials were arrested in their offices and taken to the anti-graft agency’s office following their failure to honour earlier invitations extended to them by the ICPC, reports The PUNCH.
A source at the commission added that the officials were interrogated for hours on the N90bn subsidy for pilgrims upon their arrival at the anti-graft agency’s office.
Speaking on condition of anonymity because they lacked official permission to speak to journalists, the source said, “On Wednesday some of our men were at the Hajji commission’s office to bring some officials to our office. We invited these officials but they didn’t show up. They were interrogated upon their arrival at the commission’s office. The officials are being investigated following petitions against them as regards the subsidy for pilgrims.”
When contacted, the spokesperson for the anti-graft agency, Demola Bakare, yesterday confirmed that the officials were brought to the ICPC’s office.
He added that they had since been released after meeting their bail conditions.
Bakare said, “Yes, they were in our office; they were released after granting them bail and met their bail conditions. They are top officials but their chairman is not included, please. Investigations continue.”
Bakare, however, denied that the ICPC shut down NAHCON office.
“We didn’t shut down the commission as being speculated. We only went there for officials who failed to honour our invitation,” he said.
The arrest of the official of the commission came days after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Tuesday, interrogated NAHCON Chairman, Jalal Arabi, over alleged mismanagement of the N90bn 2024 Hajj subsidy.
Following the alarm raised by the Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Bago, the National Assembly had opened a probe of NAHCON over the alleged misuse of the N90bn Hajj subsidy.
However, addressing a post-Hajj press conference in Abuja on July 29, Arabi insisted that the funds were transparently utilised, dismissing insinuations of corruption.
“Each pilgrim was supported with N1,637,369.87 from the N90bn except for pilgrims under the Hajj Savings Scheme who enjoyed more. Hence, all registered intending pilgrims, except those on HSS, were required to pay a balance of N1,918,094.87 since the N90bn was not sufficient to make up for the balance,” Arabi maintained.
