The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has finally bowed to mounting pressure and sent packing all seconded staff members, directing them back to their original ministries, departments, and agencies. The dramatic shake-up, confirmed on Friday by the Commission’s spokesperson, Fatima Usara, is seen as part of a desperate bid to recover billions of naira allegedly siphoned during the 2025 Hajj exercise.
Sources told SaharaReporters that some of the posted-out officers are now under intense scrutiny and may be forced to refund millions of naira allegedly spent on sponsoring their spouses to the holy pilgrimage.
The action follows months of agitation from NAHCON workers who accused Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman — popularly known as Pakistan — of financial recklessness, nepotism, and placing seconded officers above the Commission’s core staff.
The protests, backed by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, escalated into petitions to the Board and Vice President Kashim Shettima, who in February 2025, ordered Prof. Usman to disengage all seconded officers and desist from rehiring retired staff.
In a stern letter signed by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Shettima warned:
> “Rehiring former staff or engaging external officers at the expense of your workforce will engender redundancy and create unnecessary rancour within NAHCON’s ranks.”
Despite the directive, no fewer than 26 seconded civil servants continued to hold strategic positions in the Commission until Friday’s enforcement.
Among those sacked are Prof. Usman’s own brother, Sirajo Usman Salisu (Deputy Director, CEO’s office), and his nephew, Abdulmalik Diggi, who insiders nicknamed Ka fi Chairman — meaning “de facto chairman.”
Other affected officers include senior figures in accounts, procurement, audit, and administration. Workers accused them of enjoying preferential treatment, including being fully sponsored — along with their spouses — to the 2025 Hajj, while dozens of original NAHCON staff were left behind.
An insider fumed:
> “The external staff were parasites who drained over ₦3 billion from the Commission without adding any value. Meanwhile, 78 of our 262 core staff were denied sponsorship.”
The Refund Battle
Findings revealed that at least nine of the reposted officers are owing staggering sums in spouse subscriptions:
Aminu Ya’Abba – ₦18.28m
Abdulmalik Diggi – ₦13.71m
Abba Bulama – ₦13.71m
Nafiu Ibrahim – ₦13.71m
Sirajo Salisu Usman – ₦9.14m
Abdullahi Kabir – ₦13.71m
Babagana Bukar, Lawal Mohammed, Msheltanga Isa – ₦4.57m each
The workers are demanding that the EFCC and ICPC compel full refunds with verifiable receipts.
They also singled out spokesperson Fatima Usara, accusing her of owing ₦18.2 million for allegedly sponsoring four spouses. “No one should be spared,” one furious staffer said.
Workers have vowed to resist any attempt by Prof. Usman to smuggle his brother Sirajo or nephew Diggi back into the system under new titles. They allege both men ghostwrote official memos and signed documents on behalf of the chairman due to his “limited ability to read and write English.”
“Sirajo was effectively running NAHCON from the shadows. This is illegal, and we demand forensic investigations into all memos signed under Prof. Pakistan,” one top official insisted.
The anger runs so deep that workers are threatening mass protests if any dismissed officer or retired staff is brought back, including controversial figures like Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale, who once contested the Oyo State governorship under Labour Party, and Abba Bulama, who has reportedly refused to vacate after retirement.
Beyond the secondment scandal, workers accused management of turning the sacred pilgrimage into a money-making bazaar. Committees for media, medical, and security were allegedly “over-bloated” to accommodate cronies, while stakeholder slots skyrocketed from just 20 under past leadership to over 800 under Prof. Usman — many reportedly sold to the highest bidders.
“This abuse of the spouse and stakeholder slots is shameful. It must end,” another official told SaharaReporters.
The Commission’s leadership says the purge is meant to eliminate redundancy, restore discipline, and reposition NAHCON for efficiency. But workers are not convinced. They are pushing for accountability, prosecution of offenders, and a forensic audit of all transactions under Prof. Usman.
For now, the purge marks a major victory for NAHCON’s aggrieved staff — but whether it sparks lasting reform or ignites deeper crisis remains to be seen.
PIONEER NEWS 