The Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Jalal Arabi, and the fee’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, are at the moment within the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the alleged mismanagement of the N90bn 2024 Hajj subsidy, The PUNCH learnt on Wednesday.
In a doc sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, the anti-graft company mentioned, “A complete of
SR314,098 was recovered,” from the NAHCON chairman and different rating officers.
The EFCC mentioned its investigation revealed that from the N90bn Hajj subsidy, Arabi, fraudulently overpaid himself and others the mandatory operational price.
Also in response to the doc, the authorised 2024 Hajj operational price for the Chairman/CEO
Commissioners, Secretary and Directors/Chief of Staff within the 2024 funds are stipulated as $4,250, $12,750, $3,825 and $15,300, respectively.
The EFCC, nonetheless, alleged that: “The chairman fraudulently overpaid himself, the commissioners, secretary and administrators for the 2024 hajj operational price.
“The chairman was entitled to SR15,929 however he obtained SR50,000; three commissioners who had been meant to get SR 15,929 every obtained SR 40,000 every. The secretary obtained SR 30,000 as an alternative of SR14,336. Directors/Chief of Staff obtained SR 30,000 as an alternative of the SR2,550 they had been entitled to. The complete of
SR314,098 had been recovered from all of them.”
The anti-graft company had first grilled Arabi for hours on July 29 and launched him on bail.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
Also, final week Wednesday, some high officers of the Hajj fee had been arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged mismanagement or diversion of the N90bn subsidy.
On Wednesday, a supply within the EFCC advised our correspondent that the NAHCON Chairman was taken in once more on Wednesday for questioning and was detained.
“The Secretary and Chairman of the commission are in our custody and are facing serious interrogations on the N90bn subsidy, among other allegations,” the supply mentioned on situation of anonymity as a result of they may not converse formally.
A doc solely sighted by our correspondent revealed that SR 8,614,175.27 money withdrawal out of the N90bn launched by the Federal Government to the fee is but to be accounted for by NAHCON.
The doc partly learn, “The sum of N90bn was launched by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the National Hajj Commission to subsidise the 2024 Hajj Operations by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The complete sum of N1, 764,705,937.62 was deducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria as financial institution expenses.
“The sum of N88, 235,294,063.72 was subsequently transformed into United States {dollars} on the charge of N1,416.13, which amounted to USD 62,307,164.48 and thereafter transferred into NAHCON British SAAB Account in Saudi Arabia.
“The sum of USD 62,307,164.48 was transformed to Saudi Riyal on the charge of N3,748, which amounted to the sum of SR 233,527,252.47.
“That the opening steadiness of the IBAN-E observe for 2024 Hajj actions was SR 19,813,810.89 and has an influx of SR 485,000,000.00 from NAHCON with a closing steadiness of SR 78,985,266.03.
“That the closing steadiness is inclusive of the SR20,637,908.23 refunded from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Saudi Arabia.
“That the whole sum of SR 22, 815,367.74 was withdrawn money from the British SAAB account by one Abubakar Muhammed Lamin in Saudi Arabia throughout the 2024 Hajj operation.
“The anticipated money fee for providers and allowances to employees and stakeholders is SR 14,905,910.47.
“That the total sum of SR 8,614,175.27 cash withdrawal is yet to be accounted for by NAHCON.”
Meanwhile, an investigation into the fee’s actions since 2022 resulted within the restoration of estacodes paid to employees who didn’t undertake examine excursions and funds made to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for providers that weren’t rendered.
The doc acknowledged, “While investigation commenced on the criminal aspect which has led to the recovery of Estacodes paid to staff, who did not travel to Indonesia for study tour, also recoveries were made for services not rendered of the sum of SR 1,026,000.00 and SR 1,780,019.99, being purported 7.5% of consultancy paid to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for debt recover of the sum SR20, 637,908.23 from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Saudi Arabia.”
The doc acknowledged that each one supporting paperwork for fee of the consultancy providers, together with the Executive Chairman’s approval, had been fraudulently backdated to January 23, 2024, to allow the fee of the sum of SAR 780, 019, 59 to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd on April 14, 2024.
“The first suspect, Jalal Arabi, confessed that the marketing consultant didn’t render any providers.
“A gathering of the Expanded Transitional Exco was held on twenty fifth January 2024 with seven members and 18 employees in attendance however the fee of the consultancy providers to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd was not mentioned.
“The fee’s secretary slotted the approval for the fee of the 7.5% consultancy to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd within the minutes of the Expanded Transitional Exco assembly as merchandise 10 beneath AOB to allow the perfection of the documentation to steal the funds.
“That the said sum of SR1,026,000.00, equivalent to about N430,920,000 Million, was also recovered from one Eastern Gulf Company Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”