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EFCC Releases Former Hajj Commission Chairman and Secretary on Bail Amid Ongoing Fraud Investigation
EFCC Releases Former Hajj Commission Chairman and Secretary on Bail Amid Ongoing Fraud Investigation
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has granted bail to Jalal Arabi, the recently dismissed chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), and Abdullahi Kontagora, the commission’s secretary. The two were detained for their alleged involvement in the illegal withdrawal and mismanagement of the N90 billion 2024 Hajj intervention fund.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Arabi and Kontagora spent five days in EFCC custody after failing to meet their initial bail conditions. However, a source familiar with the situation confirmed that both officials met the required conditions and were released on Monday.
“The former Hajj Commission chairman and the secretary have been released, and the investigation is still ongoing. They were released on Monday after meeting their bail conditions. Nothing yet on the matter. No other recoveries except for the earlier ones,” the source disclosed.
The EFCC’s investigation has uncovered significant financial irregularities linked to the Hajj subsidy fund. Reports indicate that Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others, beyond the necessary operational costs. So far, the EFCC has recovered 314,098 Saudi Riyal, with further investigations ongoing.
In addition to the Hajj intervention fund probe, the EFCC has uncovered irregularities dating back to 2022. These include the recovery of estacodes paid to staff who did not participate in study tours and payments made to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for services that were never rendered. Documentation for consultancy services payments, approved by the Executive Chairman, was also found to have been fraudulently backdated to enable the payment of SAR 780,019.59 to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd in April 2024.
Despite Arabi’s confession that the consultant did not render any services, the investigation is far from over. The EFCC continues to probe the financial dealings of the former NAHCON leadership.
In a related development, President Bola Tinubu dismissed Jalal Arabi on August 19, appointing Prof Abdullahi Usman as the new chairman of NAHCON. The move comes as part of broader efforts to address the issues surrounding the management of the Hajj intervention fund and restore integrity within the commission.
The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, was unavailable for comment as of the time of filing this report. Calls and messages seeking his response on the ongoing investigation went unanswered.
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