President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor Abdullahi Usman as the new Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), replacing Jalal Arabi, who was appointed just last October. The announcement was made on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement titled “President Tinubu Appoints Chairman of National Hajj Commission.”
Usman’s appointment comes as Arabi is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly mismanaging Hajj subsidies amounting to ₦90 billion. On August 16, the EFCC detained Arabi and the commission’s secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over illegal withdrawals and the alleged mismanagement of the 2024 Hajj intervention fund. The anti-graft agency reported that Arabi and other officials had fraudulently overpaid themselves from the subsidy fund, recovering a total of SR314,098 from the implicated individuals.
In announcing Usman’s appointment, the Presidency described him as “a renowned scholar with qualifications from two Islamic centres of excellence — the University of Madinah and Peshawar University, Pakistan.” Usman is also experienced in Hajj operations, having previously served as the Chairman of the Kano State Pilgrims Board, where he oversaw the operations of the largest state pilgrim quota in Nigeria.
The appointment of Professor Usman is subject to confirmation by the Senate. President Tinubu expressed his expectation that the new NAHCON Chairman would carry out his duties with integrity, transparency, and a strong commitment to the nation.
