The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed the arrest of some top officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) over alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion intervention for the 2024 hajj.

The ICPC spokesperson, Demola Bakare revealed this to News360 Nigeria gathered during a telephone conversation on Friday morning, saying the arrest was necessitated because the suspects failed to honour the agency’s earlier invitation.

He said ICPC operatives visited the commission’s office in Abuja on Wednesday and arrested all the officials who refused to honour the previous invitation to answer questions regarding the N90 billion hajj subsidy scam, News360 Nigeria gathered

He said, “It is true we arrested the Director of Finance. Initially, we invited them, but they refused to come, that was why we went there to make the arrest. We did not shut down the office as speculated. We arrested the people who did not turn up.

“I would not be able to mention their names, that would amount to a media trial. One of the people that we arrested is the Director of Finance.”

Bakare revealed further that the anti-graft agency had released on bail the suspects arrested in connection with the corruption allegations against the Hajj Commission. However, they are required to regularly report to the agency as the investigation into the corruption allegations continues.

He added, “No, they are not with the ICPC, they have been admitted on bail. But the investigation continues. If they refuse to come (honour subsequent invitation), we will arrest people that stood as their sureties.”

In July, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission also interrogated the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Jalal Arabi, over alleged misappropriation of funds.

Blakjewelry:
If no crase dey worry Nigerians, how government go dey use state fund dey sponsor pilgrim. Religion na personal belief so why use the said scarce resources to fund such, no be madness be that?

RepoMan007:
after civil war relaxed, they used the structure of Nigeria to execute the war booty phase. Their religion and development shall be funded by the perceived losers' resources. Unfortunately, that resource is oversubscribed today. They have used it to borrow ahead of time. Give that rubbish hajj sponsorship one or two years at most and see how it will be stopped as hardship grip them.

Blakjewelry:

They also sponsor Christian too for their pilgrim too.

Blakjewelry:
If no crase dey worry Nigerians, how government go dey use state fund dey sponsor pilgrim. Religion na personal belief so why use the said scarce resources to fund such, no be madness be that?

Kobojunkieee:
That is part of the foolishness that is Nigeria and why the entire system, beginning with the constitution needs to be reviewed!

And here's the kicker. This is likely not the first time these same set of thieves have stolen the loot, only they got caught this time around. But that is no guarantee that they will be forced to refund all they have stolen or even serve actual jail time for the crime committed. We have seen these things happen so many times before now to know that this government is not really interested in conquering that black hole that is corruption. I mean only last week we read of the president embarking on a massive bribery and corruption campaign of his own against #EndBadGovernance protesters We are even now learning that many of the schemes he had announced around the same time were fraudulent... his rice to everywhere measure was really a ghost rice mission.

Blakjewelry:
If no crase dey worry Nigerians, how government go dey use state fund dey sponsor pilgrim. Religion na personal belief so why use the said scarce resources to fund such, no be madness be that?

GenFunction:
Money for God thing,them chop the money kuma...smh,naija which way?