President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Jalal Arabi from his position as Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), appointing Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman as his replacement.
The announcement came through a statement released by Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale. According to the statement, Professor Usman brings a wealth of experience to the role, with qualifications from prestigious Islamic institutions including the University of Madinah and Peshawar University, Pakistan. His background in Hajj operations is substantial, having previously served as Chairman of the Kano State Pilgrims Board, where he successfully managed the largest quota of state pilgrims in Nigeria.
Ngelale stated that Professor Usman’s appointment is subject to Senate confirmation. President Tinubu expressed his expectation that the new NAHCON Chairman will carry out his duties with integrity, transparency, and unwavering loyalty to the nation.
The dismissal of Arabi, who was appointed in October, follows controversy surrounding the 2024 Hajj operations. The Federal Government had allocated N90 billion to subsidize the pilgrimage, but the handling of these funds came under scrutiny.
Reports indicate that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arrested Arabi and NAHCON’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, in connection with financial irregularities. An EFCC source revealed that 314,098 Saudi Riyals were recovered from the sacked chairman.
The source alleged that Arabi had fraudulently overpaid himself, commissioners, the secretary, and directors for the 2024 Hajj operational costs. Specifically, it was claimed that Arabi received SR50,000 instead of his entitled SR15,929, while other officials also received inflated payments.
This change in leadership at NAHCON comes as the government aims to restore integrity and proper management to the commission responsible for overseeing Nigeria’s Hajj operations.
