NAHCON board member Sheikh Bin Uthman confirms high-level corruption in Hajj operations, backs ongoing EFCC probe
A National Commissioner of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria,NAHCON, Muhammad Bin-Uthman, has confirmed the existence of massive corruption in Nigeria’s Hajj operations.
Mr Bin-Uthman, who represents the North-West zone on the NAHCON board, said the high level of corruption has stained the integrity of the commission and its officials.
Speaking during a Hausa programme Rigar Kaya on Lumana Radio International on Sunday, the cleric also threw his support behind the ongoing investigation of the commission activities by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
According to him, contract awards in NAHCON are often shrouded in secrecy and executed without due consultation with the board or other management staff.
He explained that the NAHCON Establishment Act, 2006, explicitly mandates the participation of the six part-time commissioners representing the six geopolitical zones in key decision-making processes, “but this is not always the case”.
Citing an instance, Mr Bin-Uthman referred to the 2025 Hajj exercise when President Bola Tinubu approved a subsidy of N90billion for Nigerian pilgrims.
The cleric alleged that the board members and senior officials were never briefed on how the funds were spent.
“Let’s use the 2025 Hajj exercise as an example. The Federal Government provided a subsidy of N90billion, but we didn’t know how the money was spent.
“NAHCON awarded a contract to a Saudi Arabian firm without the knowledge of the six commissioners representing the country’s six geopolitical zones.
“Even the NAHCON director in charge of operations is not aware of the contract awarded by the commission. He protested that he would report the incident to the president,” Mr Bin-Uthman recalled.
“And that’s why those involved have been going in and out of EFCC office, and they can’t mention our names because we were not involved.”
He further identified areas where corruption is most rampant in Hajj operations, including the award of contracts for hotel accommodation, feeding, and transportation.
While endorsing the ongoing EFCC probe of commission officials, Mr Bin-Uthman said the exercise would offer the commission a new lease of life and vindicate those who are innocent.
He noted that he had privately engaged the NAHCON Chairman, on some of the issues.
“You don’t expect me to reveal our conversation, but Prof. Saleh Pakistan is my friend, and we enjoyed a cordial relationship. It also behooves on me to protect his name and dignity. However, it is not possible to take the blame for another person’s offence.
“I will advise, if I see him deviating but it’s now left for him to work with my advice, because it’s possible he is surrounded with people who don’t have good intentions for him,” he said.
“That is why we have to talk about it; it’s now left for him to implement. But silence is no longer golden. I really wish for both of us to succeed and finish this office well.”
Mr Bin-Uthman added that the EFCC probe would help clear the names of innocent officials.
“The EFCC probe is good; at least it would afford everybody the chance to clear his name. They say he who alleges must prove. So if those who are under probe feel they are innocent, then they have nothing to worry about. I also wish the EFCC would be sincere in their probe.”
He also clarified that being a board member does not mean having access to all commission activities.
He said: “As a national commissioner, I’m not aware of most of the things going on. Even though the management is supposed to be reporting to us and consulting on policies and programmes, they never did.
“In fact, it was one of my students from Madinah who informed me of the corruption in the process of securing hotel accommodations, transportation, feeding, and DTAs.”
