The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed the arrest of several officials from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in connection with the ongoing investigation into the N90 billion Hajj subsidy approved by the Federal Government.
The funds were intended to subsidize pilgrims’ fares for the 2024 Hajj.
The ICPC’s spokesperson, Demola Bakare, disclosed that the arrests were made on Wednesday after the officials allegedly failed to respond to an invitation from the anti-graft agency.
Bakare emphasized that the ICPC is operating within the law, dismissing earlier media reports that claimed the agency had shut down NAHCON’s offices.
“We are investigating officials of the National Hajj Commission because they either failed or refused to honour the invitation. We, therefore, paid them a friendly visit,” Bakare stated. “We didn’t shut down the commission as reported by some journalists. ICPC operates within the confines of the law. Officials arrested, which I can’t name, were released on bail and would henceforth be helping the investigation process until concluded.”
NAHCON’s spokesperson, Fatimah Usara, downplayed the arrests, explaining that scrutiny of the commission’s operations is a standard procedure following each Hajj season. She stated that relevant staff members had been cooperating with the ICPC’s inquiries.
“Some of the commission’s relevant staff had been making presentations to the ICPC when demanded,” Usara said. “And this is a thing that the commission considers normal because it happens after every Hajj until any doubt is cleared. It’s nothing new.”
Usara further clarified that the Head of Procurement was the specific official who had been summoned by the ICPC but had failed to report, prompting the agency’s visit to NAHCON’s office. “In fact, NAHCON accommodated them to wait for him to report to work, which they did. And when he came, they left together. No one entered any office at all. They waited outside,” she added.
The investigation follows comments made in July by NAHCON Chairman Jalal Arabi, who had stated that the N90 billion fund approved by President Bola Tinubu was used to subsidize pilgrims’ fares.
In the same month, Arabi was also summoned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a separate probe concerning the utilization of the approved funds.
