Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday, raided the headquarters of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in Abuja over alleged fraud.
    
However, the Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board has extended the deadline for payment of the 2025 Hajj fare from January 31 to February 10, 2025.
 
The extension was made public by the Board Secretary, SaheedOnipede, in a statement released by the Public Affairs Officer, Taofeek Lawal, yesterday. The EFCC operatives, who arrived at the commission in a white bus, at about 11 a.m. with a valid warrant of arrest, left the premises with the spokesperson of the commission, Fatimah Usara, and three other yet-to-be-identified staff members of the commission.
 
Sources close to The Guardian revealed that the arrest was not unconnected with an ongoing investigation concerning misappropriation of funds. Also, operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had raided the headquarters of the commission over alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion intervention for the 2024 hajj.
 
EFCC had been investigating NAHCON and its leadership under Jalal Arabi and the secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over the alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion 2024 Hajj subsidy.  
 
The anti-graft agency said its investigation revealed that from the N90 billion, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others the necessary operational cost. It, however, alleged: “The chairman fraudulently overpaid himself, the commissioners, secretary and directors for the 2024 hajj operational cost.
 
“The chairman was entitled to SR15,929 but he got SR50,000; three commissioners who were meant to get SR15,929 each received SR 40,000 each. The secretary got SR30,000 instead of SR14,336. Directors/Chief of Staff received SR30,000 instead of the SR2,550 they were entitled to.  A total of SR314,098 were recovered from all of them.” EFCC had grilled Arabi for hours on July 29, 2024, and released him on bail.  
  
Spokesperson to EFCC, Dele Oyewale, when contacted, promised to get back to The Guardian with details.

ACCORDING to the statement from Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, intending pilgrims who are yet to complete their payment are urged to take advantage of the extension to complete the Hajj fare of N8,784,085.59 on or before the new deadline.
 
Onipede stated that the extension became necessary, considering that raising such a huge amount of money under the present economic situation in the country is not easy. He emphasised that the state decided on the extension to give room for the Islamic faithful to actualise their dreams of performing the spiritual obligation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
 
While congratulating those who have completed their payment and submitted their forms for other official processes and procedures, the board’s scribe urged those who had yet to complete theirs to approach any of the commercial banks and raise a draft of N8,784,085.59 in favour of Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board and submit same with their forms and valid International passports on or before the new deadline.
 
He assured them that the board would take their welfare and comfort in the holy land as a priority, stressing that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was committed to ensuring that they actualise their dreams of performing a blissful, acceptable and rewarding Hajj exercise seamlessly.
 
NAHCON, in conjunction with the states’ Muslim pilgrims welfare boards, private tour operators and other stakeholders, in January, arrived at N8,784,085.59 as the 2025 Hajj for states in the southern zone of the country after securing the approval of the Vice President, KashimShettima.