The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained two top officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) over alleged financial mismanagement linked to the 2025 Hajj operations.
Those arrested are Aliu Abdulrazak, Commissioner of Policy, Personnel, and Finance (PPMF), and Aminu Y. Muhammed, Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA). The duo reportedly honored an EFCC invitation to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday morning but were still being held as of late evening.
Background of the investigation
The arrests come amid mounting criticisms of NAHCON’s handling of this year’s Hajj. The Forum of Chief Executives of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions had earlier declared the exercise a “total failure,” citing widespread irregularities and raising 16 issues bordering on corruption and mismanagement. Seven of those issues are now subjects of EFCC’s ongoing probe.
At the center of the investigation are allegations of large-scale diversion of funds, some of which reportedly date back to the tenure of former NAHCON Chairman, Jalal Arabi. However, much of the spotlight has turned to the current leadership under Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, popularly known as “Pakistan,” whose administration oversaw the 2025 Hajj operations.
The EFCC is said to be probing financial infractions amounting to over ₦50 billion. Among the questionable expenditures under review are:
₦25 billion allegedly spent on Masha’ir tents.
₦1.6 billion disbursed for the welfare of spouses.
₦7.9 billion allocated to contingency housing arrangements in Makkah.
Earlier this month, the EFCC also grilled several other senior NAHCON officials, including Abdulmalik Diggi (Deputy Director, Accounts and Special Adviser to the Chairman), Sirajo Usman Salisu (Deputy Director in the Chairman’s Office), and Nura Danladi (Legal Adviser). Their interrogations were part of a broader crackdown on what investigators describe as entrenched financial malpractices within the commission.
