The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested and detained senior officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) over allegations of massive fraud, financial misconduct, and mismanagement of funds during the 2025 Hajj operations.
According to reports, those in custody include Aliu Abdulrazak, Commissioner of Policy, Personnel and Finance (PPMF), and Aminu Muhammed, Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA). Both officials were said to have honoured an EFCC invitation at the agency’s headquarters around 11 a.m. on Monday, but as of late Monday night, they remained in detention.
Background of the Arrests
The arrests come amid mounting allegations of mismanagement of Hajj funds. The Forum of Chief Executives of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions had earlier described the 2025 exercise as a “total failure” under the leadership of NAHCON chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, widely known as Professor Pakistan.
The anti-graft agency had previously interrogated other senior NAHCON officials, including:
- Abdulmalik Diggi, Deputy Director (Accounts) and Special Adviser (General Services) to the Chairman/CEO.
- Sirajo Usman Salisu, Deputy Director in the Chairman’s Office.
- Barrister Nura Danladi, the commission’s Legal Adviser.
Sources revealed that Abdulrazak and Muhammed are also being investigated in connection with a separate case of fund diversion dating back to the tenure of former chairman, Ahmad Jalal Arabi.
EFCC Investigation: A ₦50 Billion Probe
Findings by Sahara Reporters indicated that the EFCC is probing alleged financial misconduct involving more than ₦50 billion under Professor Pakistan’s leadership. The chairman, who oversaw only the 2025 Hajj exercise, faces wide-ranging allegations, including:
- ₦25 billion allegedly squandered on Masha’ir tents.
- ₦1.6 billion reportedly allocated to spouses of officials.
- ₦7.9 billion spent on contingency houses in Makkah.
- Extra-budgetary expenditure exceeding presidential approval, with funds allegedly diverted to cover expenses for NAHCON officials, stakeholders, and their spouses — estimated at an additional ₦25 billion.
A source within the EFCC said on Monday night:
“They have been unable to refund the money we asked them to refund. We are not concerned whether they are making an attempt to refund it or not. Our own is that they must vomit what they ate illegitimately.”
NAHCON’s Response
In a statement issued late Monday, Fatima Sanda Usara, NAHCON’s Assistant Director of Information and Publication, said the commission remains committed to discharging its functions with honesty, accountability, and transparency.
“As a responsible organisation, the commission maintains an open and ongoing relationship with all relevant government agencies, including anti-corruption and regulatory bodies. This cooperation is a standing principle of the commission’s operations and its belief in due process and the rule of law. The commission would not shield any staff or process found wanting.”
Usara, however, cautioned against media sensationalism, urging the public to allow the EFCC to conclude its investigations without subjecting possibly innocent officials to “indignity through speculation.”
Silence from EFCC Spokesperson
Efforts to obtain official comments from EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale proved abortive, as multiple phone calls to his mobile number went unanswered, and a text message sent to him was not returned at the time of filing this report.
Tinubu’s New Chairman Under Scrutiny
President Bola Tinubu appointed Professor Pakistan to lead NAHCON for the 2025 exercise. However, his tenure has already been marred by allegations of large-scale financial mismanagement, sparking concerns over transparency in Nigeria’s Hajj administration.
The EFCC investigation — spanning both the current leadership and past administrations — is expected to unravel what observers describe as one of the largest corruption scandals in NAHCON’s history.
