The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed an ongoing probe of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) over the N90 billion Hajj subsidy.
Spokesperson of the ICPC, Demola Bakare, who confirmed the development, said some NAHCON officials were arrested by the commission on Wednesday for “refusing to honour an invitation” by the anti-graft agency.
Bakare debunked reports that NAHCON’s office was shut down by the ICPC, even as he emphasised that the commission operates within legal boundaries, he declined to name the arrested officials, and noted that they were assisting the commission with useful information.
“We are investigating officials of the National Hajj Commission because they either failed or refused to honour the invitation. We therefore paid them a friendly visit,” he said. We didn’t shut down the commission as reported by some journalists. ICPC operates within the confines of the law.
“Officials arrested, which I can’t name, were released on bail and would henceforth be helping the investigation process until concluded”, he stated.
In her response, Fatimah Usara, NAHCON’s spokesperson, said it was not unusual for officials to be queried after hajj operations.
She said: “Some of the commission’s relevant staff had been making presentations to the ICPC when demanded. And this is a thing that the commission considers normal because it happens after every hajj until any doubt is cleared. It’s nothing new.
“The Head of Procurement had an invitation which he didn’t honour so two days ago, on Wednesday precisely, the ICPC sent the relevant officers to him, him alone.
“In fact, NAHCON accommodated them to wait for him to report to work, which they did. And when he came, they left together. No one entered any office at all. They waited outside”
Recall that in July, Chairman of NAHCON, Jalal Arabi, said the N90 billion fund approved by President Bola Tinubu for 2024 hajj was used to subsidise pilgrim’s fare.