Crime
Fraud: EFCC Detains NAHCON’s Directors, Retrieves SR314,098
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, along with the commission’s Secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over allegations of mismanaging the N90 billion Hajj subsidy for 2024.
Documents obtained by our correspondent indicate that the EFCC recovered a sum of SR314,098 from Arabi and other senior officials of the commission during its investigation.
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The anti-graft agency claimed that the chairman and several officials fraudulently inflated their operational costs beyond what was stipulated in the approved 2024 budget.
According to the EFCC, the approved budget outlined the operational costs for the Chairman/CEO, commissioners, secretary, and directors/chief of staff at $4,250, $12,750, $3,825, and $15,300, respectively.
However, the EFCC alleged that the chairman was entitled to SR15,929 but fraudulently obtained SR50,000.
Similarly, three commissioners, who were supposed to receive SR15,929 each, instead pocketed SR40,000 each.
The Secretary received SR30,000 instead of the authorized SR14,336, while directors/chief of staff received SR30,000 instead of the SR2,550 they were entitled to.
The total sum of SR314,098 was recovered from all involved.
Arabi was initially questioned by the EFCC on July 29 before being released on bail. Additionally, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arrested several high-ranking NAHCON officials last Wednesday over the alleged diversion of the N90 billion subsidy.
A source within the EFCC disclosed on Wednesday that the NAHCON Chairman was brought in again for questioning and has been detained.
“The Secretary and Chairman of the commission are currently in our custody and are undergoing extensive interrogation regarding the N90 billion subsidy, among other allegations,” the source disclosed, requesting anonymity due to the inability to speak officially.
A document exclusively reviewed, revealed that SR8,614,175.27, withdrawn in cash from the N90 billion released by the Federal Government to the commission, remains unaccounted for by NAHCON.
The document reads in part, “The sum of N90bn was released by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the National Hajj Commission to subsidise the 2024 Hajj Operations by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The total sum of N1, 764,705,937.62 was deducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria as bank charges.
“The sum of N88, 235,294,063.72 was subsequently converted into United States dollars at the rate 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 converted to Saudi Riyal at the rate of N3,748, which amounted to the sum of SR 233,527,252.47.
“That the opening balance of the IBAN-E track for 2024 Hajj activities was SR 19,813,810.89 and has an inflow of SR 485,000,000.00 from NAHCON with a closing balance of SR 78,985,266.03.
“That the closing balance is inclusive of the SR20,637,908.23 refunded from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Saudi Arabia.
“That the total sum of SR 22, 815,367.74 was withdrawn cash from the British SAAB account by one Abubakar Muhammed Lamin in Saudi Arabia during the 2024 Hajj operation.
“The expected cash payment for services and allowances to staff 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.”
Additionally, investigations into the commission’s activities since 2022 uncovered the recovery of estacodes given to staff for study tours they did not attend, along with payments made to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd for services that were never provided.
“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 document revealed that all supporting paperwork for the consultancy services payment, including the Executive Chairman’s approval, was fraudulently backdated to January 23, 2024, to facilitate a payment of SAR 780,019.59 to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd on April 14, 2024.
“Jalal Arabi, the primary suspect, admitted that the consultant did not provide any services,” the document stated.
Additionally, a meeting of the Expanded Transitional Exco was conducted on January 25, 2024, with seven members and 18 staff present, yet the payment to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd was not addressed during the meeting.
The document added “The commission’s secretary slotted the approval for the payment of the 7.5% consultancy to Shuraka’a al-Khair Group Ltd in the minutes of the Expanded Transitional Exco meeting as item 10 under AOB to enable 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.”
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, March 24, 2025 busted a Ponzi Scheme Academy and arrested 133 suspects in Abuja.
They were arrested at the Compensation Layout in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, following actionable intelligence on the existence of the Academy.
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The Academy, named Q University (a.k.a Q-Net) is in the business of recruiting gullible young Nigerians who are trained to recruit more gullible citizens into the scheme with the promise of getting unrealistic profit returns.
The suspects are enrolled into a training codenamed: “Special Training for New Generation Billionaire” and brainwashed to believe that they would graduate into the league of billionaires.
It was gathered that got into the training by obtaining a form the promoters called “Independent Representative Application Form” with promotional slogans such as: “I’m a Champion” “I’m Unstoppable”, “I’m Infinity”, among others.
The EFCC carried out the operation in collaboration with officers and men of 176 Guards Battalion, Nigerian Army.
Items recovered from the suspects include phones, computers and other electronic gadgets.
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a man for allegedly stabbing his 38-year-old wife to death in Oke-Ira, Ilogbo Eremi, Badagry.
Confirming the incident on Thursday, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the crime took place on Wednesday.
According to Hundeyin, detectives from the Morogbo Division received a tip-off about the incident and immediately moved to the scene.
“A team of detectives, while on surveillance township monitoring patrol at Oke-Ira, Ilogbo Eremi, got information that the suspect had stabbed his wife to death. The team swiftly raced to the scene and apprehended the suspect,” he said.
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The police recovered a blood-stained kitchen knife from the suspect, who reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation.
The victim’s remains have been deposited at the Badagry General Hospital morgue, while the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Yaba for further investigation.
Authorities assured the public that the suspect would face the full weight of the law.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano State Zonal Directorate, has arrested popular TikTok influencer Murja Kunya for allegedly abusing the Nigerian currency.
According to a statement released on Monday by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, Kunya was taken into custody for spraying naira notes for fun during her stay at Tahir Guest Palace, a hotel in Kano State.
Her latest arrest follows a dramatic attempt to evade justice after she allegedly jumped administrative bail earlier granted by the commission.
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Kunya was initially arrested in January 2025 for violating the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the national currency.
Although she was granted bail pending her arraignment before the Federal High Court in Kano, she failed to appear in court and instead went into hiding.
“After weeks of intensive investigation and surveillance, EFCC operatives successfully re-arrested the TikTok Influencer on Sunday, March 16, 2025,” the statement read.
Kunya is now in custody at the Kano Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, where she is awaiting arraignment.
The commission reiterated its commitment to enforcing laws protecting the integrity of the naira and issued a warning against all forms of naira abuse, including spraying, stamping, or mutilating the currency at social events.
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