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A document exclusively reviewed, revealed that SR8,614,175.27, withdrawn in cash from the N90 billion released by the Federal Government to the commission, remains unaccounted for by NAHCON.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 Lagos State Police Command have arrested a 21-year-old man, Samson Onilewaji, after allegedly discovering a suspected human hand, firearms and other items believed to be linked to criminal activities during a routine stop-and-search operation along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The arrest was confirmed on Friday by the command’s spokesperson, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, who disclosed that the suspect was travelling in an unregistered commercial shuttle bus alongside five other passengers when police officers intercepted the vehicle for inspection.
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According to Adebisi, a thorough search of the vehicle and its occupants led to the recovery of a suspected human right hand, two locally made pistols, one live cartridge, two axes, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal and five ATM cards from the suspect.
She further revealed that preliminary investigations showed the suspect allegedly confessed to recently robbing three people of their valuables, including the POS machine and ATM cards recovered from him.
The police spokesperson said investigators are working to determine the identity of the owner of the suspected human hand, how it came into the suspect’s possession and what it was allegedly intended to be used for.
She added that efforts are ongoing to track down other suspected members of the criminal network believed to be connected to the suspect.
Adebisi stated that the suspect would be arraigned in court after investigations are concluded.
She also quoted the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Tijani Olaiwola Fatai, as reassuring residents of the command’s commitment to tackling violent crimes and ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state.
The police commissioner urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue providing useful and timely information that could assist security agencies in preventing crime and bringing criminals to justice.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two elderly men aged 84 and 75 for allegedly supplying illicit drugs to secondary school students in Umuahia, Abia State, in a shocking case that has stirred public concern.
The suspects, identified as Godfrey Orji (84) and Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora (75), were arrested in separate intelligence-led operations by NDLEA operatives over their alleged involvement in drug distribution within school communities.
Drugs hidden in patent medicine shop
According to the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Obiora was arrested on June 19, 2026, after credible intelligence linked him to selling illicit substances to students from his patent medicine store located at 4 Club Road, Umuahia.
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A search of the premises reportedly led to the recovery of 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
Babafemi stated: “Pa Obiora was arrested by NDLEA operatives following credible intelligence that he was selling illicit substances to young students and others in his patent medicine store.”
Arrest at school exposes second suspect
In a separate operation, Godfrey Orji, a pensioner, was apprehended after he was allegedly caught supplying drugs to students of Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia.
Security guards at the school reportedly intercepted him and handed him over to the police, who later transferred him to the NDLEA.
One of the teenage students, a 15-year-old SS2 pupil, allegedly confessed during interrogation that the suspect regularly supplied him with drugs, which he also sold to other students.
Students moved to rehabilitation
The NDLEA confirmed that while the two suspects will face prosecution, the affected students have been placed under counselling and rehabilitation programmes as part of efforts to curb drug abuse in schools.
Nationwide crackdown continues
The Abia arrests come amid ongoing nationwide operations by the NDLEA, which also recorded major drug seizures across the country In Lagos, operatives intercepted 9.5kg of ADB-Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid concealed in a shipment from China.
Another raid uncovered 300 grams of cannabis (“Loud”) hidden in handbags at a logistics facility.
A drug dealer’s home in Ajah was raided, with codeine syrup and cannabis recovered.
In Kogi State, a suspect was arrested with 1.030kg of methamphetamine hidden in custard containers.
In Oyo State, operatives recovered 1,416kg of skunk during a major raid.
In Edo State, large cannabis farms were destroyed, with over 4,000kg of cannabis recovered or eradicated.
NDLEA vows stronger enforcement
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended operatives across multiple states for their coordinated operations and urged them to sustain the momentum.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to both enforcement and public sensitisation under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
The NDLEA says it will continue its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, especially those targeting vulnerable young people in school environments, as investigations and prosecutions continue in the Abia case.
Popular TikTok personality, Fati Cele, has been detained by the Kano State Police Command following the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye, at her residence in Kano State.
The development was confirmed on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna, who said the social media influencer is currently in custody while investigations continue.
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“Yes, it’s true, the TikToker is currently being detained over the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye,” Haruna said.
The police spokesperson, however, declined to provide further details regarding the incident, stressing that investigations are ongoing.
Fati Cele, who is originally from Borno State, resides in a rented apartment in the Danbare area of Kano.
She is a well-known content creator on TikTok, where she has built a following of more than 32,000 followers.
According to a source close to the deceased who spoke on condition of anonymity, the incident occurred after Cele allegedly raised an alarm from her residence, claiming there was a fire outbreak.
The source said Makaye was immediately rushed to Nassarawa Hospital for treatment but was later confirmed dead.
It was further gathered that officers attached to the Dorayi Babba Police Division subsequently took the TikTok personality into custody as part of ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The deceased, Makaye, was a cosmetics trader who lived in the Hotoro Tishama area of Kano.
Family associates disclosed that he was buried at Unguwa Uku Yan Awaki after his remains were released to relatives for burial rites.
The Kano State Police Command has yet to disclose the exact cause of death, maintaining that investigations are still underway.
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