PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Monday, August 19, appointed Professor Abdullahi Usman as the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCO), effectively sacking Jalal Arabi, who he appointed last October last year.
Arabi’s removal comes amid N90billion Hajj subsidy probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which has seen Arabi being interrogated and detained.
His removal was announced in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Chairman of National Hajj Commission.’
On August 16, the EFCC said it detained Arabi and NAHCON’s Secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over illegal withdrawal and alleged mismanagement of the N90billion 2024 Hajj intervention funds, with a total of SR314,098 recovered from Arabai and other ranking officials.
EFCC said it discovered that from the N90billion Hajj subsidy, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others above the necessary operational costs.
Meanwhile, the Presidency described Usman as “a renowned scholar with qualifications from two Islamic centres of excellence- the University of Madinah, Saudi Arabia, 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,” it added.
Ngelale said the President expects the new NAHCON chairman, whose appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate, to “discharge his duties with integrity, transparency and utmost fidelity to the nation.”
