The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has said that it is probing officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) over the alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion subsidy granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2024 Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

In July, Alhaji Jalal Arabi, chairman of NAHCON, said that the N90 billion subsidy approved for the Commission by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the 2024 hajj was used to subsidize pilgrims’ fares.

This was coming against the backdrop of complaints by some pilgrims who said that in spite of the subsidy granted for the 2024 Hajj operations, arrangement for the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims fell below standards.

Governor Bago of Niger State specifically raised the alarm over what he described as shoddy arrangement and vowed to report NAHCON to the Governors’ Forum and the National Assembly.

Following the development, Jalal Arabi was invited and questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the approved N90 billion Hajj subsidy.

Commenting on the arrest of the officials of NAHCON, Demola Bakare, spokesperson of the ICPC said that it was true that some officials of the Hajj commission were arrested on Wednesday, having failed to honour an earlier invitation extended to them by the anti-graft agency.

Bakare however, said that contrary to reports that NAHCON’s office was shut down by the anti-graft agency, there was nothing of such adding that the ICPC operates within legal boundaries.

The ICPC spokesperson said the arrested officials of the NAHCON were assisting the commission with the investigation as they are providing needed valuable information.

In the words of Bakare; “We are investigating officials of the National Hajj Commission because they either failed or refused to honour invitation. We therefore paid them a friendly visit.

“We didn’t shut down the commission as reported by some journalists. ICPC operates within the confines of the law. The officials who were arrested, though not named, have been released on bail and will continue to assist with the investigation process until it is concluded,” he said.

When contacted, Fatimah Usara, spokesperson of NAHCON, said it was not unusual for officials to be questioned after hajj operations. Some of the commission’s staff have been making presentations to the ICPC as required.

“This is a routine process that occurs after every hajj until every doubts are cleared. It is nothing new.

“The Head of Procurement had an invitation which he didn’t honour. So, two days ago, on Wednesday precisely, the ICPC sent the relevant officers to him.

“NAHCON accommodated them while waiting for him to report to work. When he arrived, they left together. No one entered any office at all; they waited outside,” she said.