Jalal Arabi

Jalal Arabi, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has been sacked by President Bola Tinubu amid his corruption probe.

In a statement released, Presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, stated that the President has nominated Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman as the new Chairman of the agency.

“Professor Usman is a renowned scholar with qualifications from two Islamic centres of excellence — the University of Madinah and Peshawar University, Pakistan. He is also well-grounded in Hajj operations, having served as the Chairman of Kano State Pilgrims Board, and successfully superintended the operations of the largest quota of state pilgrims in the country.

The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate. The President expects the new Chairman of NAHCON to discharge his duties with integrity, transparency, and utmost fidelity to the nation.”

Arabi who was appointed in October, ran into trouble over the 2024 Hajj which the Federal Government released N90 billion to subsidise.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arrested Arabi and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over the issue.

An EFCC source had said a total of 314,098 Saudi Riyals was recovered from the sacked NAHCON chairman.

“The chairman fraudulently overpaid himself, the commissioners, secretary and directors for the 2024 hajj operational cost.

The chairman was entitled to SR15,929 but he got SR50,000; three commissioners who were meant to get SR 15,929 each received SR 40,000 each. The secretary got SR 30,000 instead of SR14,336. Directors/Chief of Staff received SR 30,000 instead of the SR2,550 they were entitled to. The total of SR314,098 were recovered from all of them,” the source said.