JUST IN: Tinubu sacks Arabi as Hajj commission chairman, names replacement

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor Abdullahi Usman as the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, effectively sacking Jalal Arabi whom he appointed last October.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, announced the development in a statement on Monday titled ‘President Tinubu appoints chairman of National Hajj Commission.’

Usman’s appointment comes just as his predecessor, Arabi, is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, for allegedly mismanaging Hajj subsidies to the tune of N90bn.

On August 16, the EFCC said it detained Arabi, and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over illegal withdrawal and the alleged mismanagement of the N90bn 2024 Hajj intervention fund.

A total of SR314,098 was said to have been ecovered from Arabi and other ranking officials.

The anti-graft agency said it discovered that, from the N90bn Hajj subsidy, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others above the necessary operational cost.

Meanwhile, the Presidency described the new NAHCON Chief, Usman, as “a renowned scholar with qualifications from two Islamic centres of excellence — the University of Madinah and Peshawar University, Pakistan.”

“He is also well-grounded in Hajj operations, having served as the Chairman of Kano State Pilgrims Board, and successfully superintended the operations of the largest quota of state pilgrims in the country,” it added.

The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Ngelale said the President expects the new Chairman of NAHCON to “discharge his duties with integrity, transparency, and utmost fidelity to the nation.”