[ad_1]
The Chairman of Nigeria’s National Hajj Committee, Jalal Arabi, and the Secretary of the Committee, Abdullahi Kontagora, have been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They were reportedly detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged mismanagement of the 90 billion naira Hajj subsidy for 2024.
The anti-graft body said in a document released on Wednesday that “a total of 314,098 Saudi riyals was recovered from the NAHCON chairman and other senior officials”.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said its investigations revealed that Arabi overpaid for necessary operating expenses for himself and others from the N90 billion Hajj subsidy.
Furthermore, according to the document, the 2024 Hajj operating expenses approved in the 2024 budget for the Chairman/CEO, Commissioner, Secretary and Director/Chief of Staff are set at $4,250, $12,750, $3,825 and $15,300 respectively.
“The Chairman fraudulently overpaid himself, the Commissioner, the Secretary and the Directors for the 2024 Hajj operational expenses.
“The chairman was entitled to 15,929 Saudi riyals but he only received 50,000 Saudi riyals; the three commissioners were supposed to receive 15,929 Saudi riyals but only received 40,000 Saudi riyals each. The secretary received only 30,000 Saudi riyals instead of 14,336 Saudi riyals. The director/chief of staff received only 30,000 Saudi riyals instead of 2,550 Saudi riyals they were entitled to. In total, they were defrauded of 314,098 Saudi riyals.”
The anti-corruption agency questioned Arabi for several hours on July 29 before releasing him on bail.
Also read: 1,301 pilgrims died during Hajj in 2024 – Saudi Arabia
Also, last Wednesday, some senior officials of the Hajj Commission were arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for alleged mismanagement or misappropriation of N90 billion in subsidies.
A source in the EFCC disclosed on Wednesday that the NAHCON Chairman was again taken in for questioning and detained on Wednesday.
“The secretary and chairman of the commission have been detained and are being rigorously interrogated over allegations including the N90 billion subsidy,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
A document shows that out of the N90 billion cash released by the Federal Government to the Commission, N8,614,175.27 is yet to be accounted for by NAHCON.
The document reads in part: “The Federal Government of Nigeria has allocated N90 billion to the National Hajj Commission to subsidize the 2024 Hajj activities of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria deducted a total of N1,764,705,937.62 in bank charges.
“The amount of 88,235,294,063.72 Naira was then converted into US dollars at the rate of 1,416.13 Naira, equivalent to $62,307,164.48 before being transferred to the NAHCON UK SAAB account in Saudi Arabia.
“US$62,307,164.48 converted into Saudi Riyals at the rate of 3,748 Naira is equivalent to 233,527,252.47 Saudi Riyals.
“The opening balance of the IBAN-E track for Hajj activities in 2024 was SAR 19,813,810.89, the inflow from NAHCON was SAR 485,000,000.00, and the closing balance was SAR 78,985,266.03.
“The closing balance includes SR20,637,908.23 refunded by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia.
“During the 2024 Hajj operation, Abubakar Muhammed Lamin of Saudi Arabia withdrew a total of SAR 22,815,367.74 in cash from a UK SAAB account.
“The estimated cash payments for services and allowances to employees and stakeholders is SAR 14,905,910.47.
“NAHCON has yet to account for the cash withdrawal amounting to SAR 8,614,175.27.”
[ad_2]
Source link
