President Bola Tinubu has officially dismissed Jalal Arabi from his position as Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). In a statement released by presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman has been nominated as the new Chairman of the agency, pending Senate confirmation.

Professor Usman is a distinguished scholar with qualifications from two prestigious Islamic institutions—the University of Madinah and Peshawar University in Pakistan. He is well-versed in Hajj operations, having previously served as the Chairman of the Kano State Pilgrims Board, where he successfully managed the largest quota of state pilgrims in Nigeria.

The President has called for the new NAHCON Chairman to execute his responsibilities with integrity, transparency, and fidelity to the nation.

Jalal Arabi, who was appointed in October, faced scrutiny over the management of the 2024 Hajj, during which the Federal Government allocated N90 billion for subsidies. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Arabi and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, in connection with this matter.

An EFCC source revealed that a total of 314,098 Saudi Riyals was recovered from the sacked NAHCON chairman, who allegedly overpaid himself and other officials involved in the 2024 Hajj operational costs. The chairman was entitled to SR15,929 but reportedly received SR50,000. Similarly, three commissioners, entitled to SR15,929 each, received SR40,000 each, while the secretary received SR30,000 instead of the SR14,336 he was entitled to. Directors and the Chief of Staff received SR30,000 each instead of the SR2,550 owed to them.