BREAKING: Tinubu sacks Hajj Commission Chairman, Arabi over alleged N90 billion fraud

The National Hajj Commission Chairman, Jalal Arabi has been fired from office by President Bola Tinubu on Monday.

The embattled Chairman has been accused of embezzling the sum of N90 billion which the Federal Government subsidized for the 2024 pilgrims to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Since the report of embezzlement, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, have been investigating, while Arabi and the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Abdullahi Kontagora were quizzed and have spent three nights in the custody of the EFCC as they could not meet their bail conditions.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu has immediately replaced Arabi with the former Chairman of Kano State Muslim Pilgrims Board, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, as the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

CAPITAL POST recalled that the Executive Governor of Niger State, Umar Bago called for the probe and removal of NAHCON management for the poor treatment of pilgrims to Mecca, adding that there was nothing to show that the Federal Government subsidy was judiciously used.

On Monday, Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, in a statement issued in Abuja announced the appointment of Usman.

Usman, who is a scholar with qualifications from two Islamic centres – the University of Madinah and Peshawar University, Pakistan, had served as Chairman of the Kano State Pilgrims Board, overseeing the operations of the largest quota of state pilgrims in Nigeria.

The President’s spokesperson said “The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate.

“The President expects the new Chairman of NAHCON to discharge his duties with integrity, transparency, and utmost fidelity to the nation.”