Hajj Fraud Scandal Deepens: Six NAHCON Officials Still in EFCC Custody as Two Secure Release After Refund

Punch Newspaper has taken to it’s official X handle and announced that,The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has intensified its probe into the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) over alleged large-scale financial misappropriation during the 2025 Hajj exercise, with six senior officials still languishing in detention.

According to credible sources within the commission, two top officials earlier arrested have been released after refunding funds reportedly diverted under their supervision. However, six others remain in EFCC custody after failing to return the missing funds.

“Two staff of NAHCON detained have been released. There are still about six more in custody. Those released have paid back what was missing under them. The six others won’t be released until they do the same. Investigation is still ongoing in the agency,” an insider disclosed.

The exact sums refunded remain undisclosed, but EFCC investigators are said to be tracking billions of naira allegedly mismanaged during the sacred pilgrimage operations.

Efforts to obtain official comments from EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, proved abortive as calls and text messages were unanswered at press time.

This latest development comes barely a year after the EFCC detained NAHCON Chairman, Malam Jalal Arabi, and Secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over the alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion subsidy approved by the Federal Government for the 2024 Hajj. At the time, the anti-graft agency recovered SR314,098 (Saudi Riyals) from top officials, sparking outrage among stakeholders.

The scandal eventually led President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sack Arabi less than a year into his tenure, underscoring the administration’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption.

With the conclusion of the 2025 Hajj, the commission once again finds itself entangled in allegations of fraud, raising fresh concerns about transparency, accountability, and the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims whose contributions are meant to facilitate a smooth spiritual exercise.

Stakeholders in the Hajj and Umrah industry are now calling on the Federal Government to overhaul NAHCON’s financial operations to restore public confidence and safeguard the integrity of future pilgrimages.