The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday detained two top officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
The detention was over alleged financial misconduct during the 2025 Hajj exercise.
The officials, Commissioner of Policy, Personnel, and Finance (PPMF), Aliu Abdulrazak, and Director of Finance and Accounts, Aminu Y. Muhammed, honored an EFCC invitation on Monday morning.
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They remained in custody late into the night, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Investigations are focusing on alleged mismanagement and diversion of over ₦50 billion, including ₦25 billion reportedly spent on Masha’ir tents, ₦1.6 billion on spouses’ expenses, and ₦7.9 billion on contingency houses in Makkah.
“These allegations are serious, and we are committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in the Hajj operations,” a source within the EFCC said.
The probe also traces back to funds allegedly diverted during the tenure of former NAHCON Chairman Ahmad Jalal Arabi.
Several other senior officials have already been interrogated, while stakeholders are calling for the suspension of Abdulrazak and Muhammed and the disbandment of the current leadership.
“President Bola Tinubu should appoint a sole administrator with operational experience to restore credibility to the Hajj Commission,” a concerned stakeholder stated, highlighting the urgency of reform in the agency.
The arrest comes amid widespread criticism of NAHCON’s management of the 2025 Hajj exercise, described by stakeholders as a “total failure” under current Chairman Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, popularly known as Pakistan.
