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By Olu Balogun
National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has reaffirmed its commitment to due process and accountability in the discharge of its mandate to serve the Nigerian pilgrims and the nation in general.
Reacting to some media publications making various comments regarding its operations and unverified allegations about its finances, the commission maintained that as a public institution established by law, it remains dedicated to its functions with the highest sense of responsibility, honesty, accountability, and a zeal to deliver efficient services.
NAHCON, in a statement signed by its Assistant Director of Information and Publications, Hajiya Fatima Sanda Usara on behalf of the chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, however, assured that it would not shield any staff or process found wanting.
The statement said as a responsible organisation, NAHCON maintains an open and ongoing relationship with all relevant government agencies, including anti-corruption and regulatory bodies.
“This cooperation is a standing principle of the Commission’s operations and its belief in due process and the rule of law. The Commission would not shield any staff or process found wanting,” it stated.
NAHCON, however, urged the public, especially the media “to exercise restraint on speculations and allow the appropriate authorities to conclude their work in accordance with established procedures without subjecting perhaps innocent persons to indignity through media trials.”
“We are confident that whatever the truth is, it will emerge through the appropriate channels.
“The commission remains focused on post-Hajj evaluations, addressing operational challenges, and strengthening measures to ensure even better service delivery in future Hajj operations,” it stressed.
Some media organisations had on Tuesday reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC detained the NAHCON’s Commissioner of Policy, Personnel, and Finance, PPMF, Alhaji Aliu Abdulrazak and the Director of Finance and Accounts, DFA, Aminu Y. Muhammed over alleged fraud.
Both officials reportedly honoured an invitation to the EFCC headquarters around 11 a.m. on Monday and were still in its custody as of late Monday night.
The development comes on the heels of mounting allegations of mismanagement in the conduct of the 2025 Hajj, which the Forum of Chief Executives of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions recently described as “a total failure” under NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Usman
In a review meeting with the commission in Abuja last week, the Forum raised 16 issues, with seven directly linked to corruption and financial infractions, now being probed by the EFCC.
