ICPC Raids NAHCON Office, Arrests Director Over Alleged N90b Hajj Subsidy Fraud

Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) conducted a raid on the headquarters of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in Abuja. The raid was reportedly in connection with alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion allocated for the 2024 hajj.

According to an anonymous source, the ICPC operatives shut down key offices, including the offices of the Chief Executive Officer, as well as the Finance and Procurement departments during the operation, which lasted several hours. The source noted that the raid has intensified public scrutiny on the commission’s handling of the N90 billion subsidy provided for this year’s hajj.

Unsatisfied with the available records, the anti-graft agency reportedly took the commission’s Director of Procurement into custody for further investigation.

When reached for comment, ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare confirmed that the agency’s operatives had visited the Hajj House but described it as part of a routine investigation. Although Bakare did not disclose the specifics of the investigation, he hinted that the raid was prompted by some officials’ refusal to honor the ICPC’s earlier invitations.

“Yes, we are investigating the National Hajj Commission. We invited some officials who either failed or refused to honor the invitation. We therefore paid them a friendly visit,” Bakare stated. He also clarified that the ICPC did not shut down the commission, asserting that the agency operates within legal boundaries.

This raid follows previous actions by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had questioned NAHCON’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mal. Jalal Ahmad Arabi, regarding the management of the controversial N90 billion hajj subsidy. The EFCC’s investigation was initiated after receiving multiple petitions alleging poor management of services during the 2024 hajj and the utilization of the federal government’s intervention funds.

In response to the allegations, NAHCON had previously clarified its position, presenting records on the allocation of the government subsidy. During a press conference in Abuja, Chairman Arabi stated that the commission had disbursed over N1.6 million each to more than 50,000 pilgrims and officials to offset the high costs of services, which were impacted by fluctuations in the naira-to-dollar exchange rate.