The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained two senior officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in connection with ongoing investigations into alleged large-scale financial misconduct surrounding the 2025 Hajj operations.
The detained officials are Aliu Abdulrazak, NAHCON’s Commissioner for Policy, Personnel, and Finance (PPMF), and Aminu Y. Muhammed, Director of Finance and Accounts. Both individuals voluntarily responded to a summons at EFCC headquarters around 11:00 a.m. on Monday but remained in custody as of late that night.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the EFCC is currently probing alleged misappropriation of over ₦50 billion under the leadership of NAHCON Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman — widely known as “Pakistan” — who oversaw the 2025 Hajj operations.
The investigation follows a wave of criticism over the execution of this year’s pilgrimage, which has been described by the Forum of Chief Executives of State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards as “a total failure.” There are mounting allegations of mismanagement, unauthorized spending, and diversion of public funds under Usman’s watch.
Key financial concerns under investigation include:
₦25 billion allegedly spent on substandard Masha’ir tents,
₦1.6 billion reportedly allocated for officials’ spouses,
₦7.9 billion spent on contingency housing in Makkah, and
An additional ₦25 billion allegedly diverted for unapproved expenses, including travel and luxury accommodations for officials, stakeholders, and their spouses.
In addition, Abdulrazak and Muhammed are reportedly being questioned over a separate case of fund diversion dating back to the administration of former NAHCON Chairman, Ahmad Jalal Arabi.
This latest development comes just weeks after other top NAHCON officials were also interrogated, including:
Abdulmalik Diggi, Deputy Director (Accounts) and Special Adviser (General Services) to the Chairman,
Sirajo Usman Salisu, Deputy Director in the Chairman’s Office, and
Barr. Nura Danladi, NAHCON’s Legal Adviser.
Efforts to reach both Abdulrazak and Muhammed for comments were unsuccessful, as their mobile phones remained switched off. However, a senior commission official confirmed their detention, stating, “As I speak to you now, they are still with the EFCC.”
Within NAHCON and across key Hajj stakeholder circles, calls for decisive action are growing louder. Some insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity, have urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend the detained officials immediately and overhaul the commission’s leadership.
“The President should urgently dissolve the current NAHCON board and appoint a seasoned sole administrator with proven Hajj operational expertise to restore accountability and confidence,” one source emphasized.
The EFCC has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but the case is expected to intensify in the coming days as investigators dig deeper into what may be one of the largest corruption scandals in the commission’s history.
