Those in custody include Aliu Abdulrazak, Commissioner for Policy, Personnel and Finance (PPMF), and Aminu Y. Muhammed, Director of Finance and Accounts. Both men, who honoured an EFCC invitation on Monday morning, were still being held late into the night, according to reliable sources.
The arrests follow growing allegations of corruption and mismanagement under NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, popularly known as Pakistan. Stakeholders have described this year’s Hajj operations as a “total failure,” citing alleged diversions and misuse of more than ₦50 billion.
Breakdowns of the alleged spending include ₦25 billion on Masha’ir tents, ₦1.6 billion on expenses for spouses, and ₦7.9 billion on contingency housing in Makkah.
The EFCC is also said to be widening its probe to include cases of fund diversion dating back to the tenure of former chairman, Ahmad Jalal Arabi. Several other senior NAHCON officials have already been interrogated in recent weeks.
Amid the unfolding scandal, Hajj stakeholders are demanding the suspension of Abdulrazak and Muhammed, alongside a total overhaul of NAHCON’s leadership. They have also urged President Bola Tinubu to appoint a sole administrator with proven operational experience to restore accountability and credibility to the commission.
