The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday grilled the Chairman, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Jalal Arabi, over alleged mismanagement of the 2024 hajj exercise fund among others.
Our correspondent gathered that Arabi arrived at the EFCC’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja at about 10 am and was grilled for hours.
A source familiar with the matter informed our correspondent that his questioning was prompted by petitions filed against him.
The source said, “He was invited to the commission’s office to explain how his commission spent the N90 billion subsidy provided for the 2024 hajj exercise.
“His invitation was a result of the petitions against the chairman and his management team to our office over the alleged mismanagement of funds in the commission, and the 2024 hajj exercise among others.
“The allegations he was asked to explain dates back to 2021 and not just the issue of the just concluded exercise. “
The source added that three directors from the commission had been invited.
“Three directors from the commission have been invited to explain what they know about the issue, they include the director of procurement, director of finance, and director of the programme,” the source added.
When asked if he would be detained or allowed to go, the source said the chairman might not likely be detained.
“He may not be detained but will be asked to come back if needed at the end of the day, but presently he is still being interrogated.
“The CEO has been invited, he has honoured the invitation, and he will go back, there is no reason to keep him in custody when he is already complying.
“The new EFCC is operating by international best practice, you can see that most of the people invited are always allowed to go if they comply.”
When contacted, the spokesman of EFCC, Dele Oyewale, said he would get back to our correspondent over the invitation and other details and revert.
He was yet to do so at the time of filing this report.
Arabi had on Monday said the N90 billion approved by President Bola Tinubu was used to subsidise the fare of pilgrims.
He was quoted as saying, “Each pilgrim was supported with N1,637,369.87 from the N90bn except for pilgrims under the Hajj Savings Scheme who enjoyed more.
Hence, all registered intending pilgrims, except those on HSS, were required to pay a balance of N1,918,094.87 since the N90bn was not sufficient to make up for the balance.”
