Ex-Hajj Chairman Released From EFCC Custody in N90bn Probe.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced the release of Jalal Arabi, the dismissed chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, along with the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, who were both granted bail. Their detention stemmed from allegations related to illegal withdrawals and the mismanagement of the substantial N90 billion allocated for the 2024 Hajj intervention fund.
Despite initially being unable to meet their bail conditions, Arabi and Kontagora remained in EFCC custody for five days. However, a source familiar with the situation confirmed that they eventually fulfilled the necessary requirements and were released on Monday. The ongoing investigation continues to scrutinize their actions regarding the fund.
According to the source, there have been no further recoveries since the initial amount of 314,098 Saudi Riyal. The investigation remains active, with authorities still looking into the broader implications of the case. The source emphasized that aside from the earlier recovery, no additional funds have been accounted for at this time.
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The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, was unavailable for comment when attempts were made to reach him for further information on the case. He did not respond to phone calls or messages seeking clarification regarding the ongoing investigation and its findings.
An earlier report from The PUNCH on August 15 highlighted that the EFCC’s investigation uncovered fraudulent activities by Arabi, including overpayments to himself and others from the N90 billion Hajj subsidy. The agency has noted that a total cash withdrawal of SR 8,614,175.27 remains unaccounted for by the National Hajj Commission, raising further concerns about financial oversight within the organization.
