The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed that it is investigating the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) regarding the N90 billion hajj subsidy.
The Commission’s spokesperson, Demola Bakare, told TheCable that some NAHCON officials were arrested on Wednesday for “refusing to honor an invitation” from the anti-graft agency.
Bakare refuted reports that NAHCON’s office had been shut down by the ICPC, emphasizing that the commission operates within legal boundaries.
He declined to name the arrested officials but noted that they were assisting the commission with valuable information.
“We are investigating officials of the National Hajj Commission because they either failed or refused to honor the invitation. We therefore paid them a friendly visit,” he said.
“We didn’t shut down the commission as reported by some journalists. ICPC operates within the confines of the law. The officials who were arrested, though not named, have been released on bail and will continue to assist with the investigation process until it is concluded.”
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However, Fatimah Usara, NAHCON’s spokesperson, said it was not unusual for officials to be questioned after hajj operations.
“Some of the commission’s relevant staff have been making presentations to the ICPC as required,” she said. “This is a routine process that occurs after every hajj until any doubts are cleared. It’s nothing new. The Head of Procurement had an invitation which he didn’t honor, so two days ago, on Wednesday precisely, the ICPC sent the relevant officers to him. NAHCON accommodated them while waiting for him to report to work. When he arrived, they left together. No one entered any office at all; they waited outside.”
In July, Jalal Arabi, NAHCON’s chairman, stated that the N90 billion fund approved by President Bola Tinubu for the 2024 hajj was used to subsidize pilgrims’ fares.
In the same month, the chairman was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigations into the approved fund.
