President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, appointed Professor Abdullahi Usman as the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, effectively sacking Jalal Arabi whom he appointed last October.

Arabi’s removal comes amid N90bn Hajj subsidy probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which has seen Arabi being grilled and detained.

His removal was announced in a statement on Monday by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

The statement was titled ‘President Tinubu appoints chairman of National Hajj Commission.’

On August 16, the EFCC said it detained Arabi, and NAHCON’s Secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over illegal withdrawal and the alleged mismanagement of the N90bn 2024 Hajj intervention fund.

A total of SR314,098 was recovered from the commission chairman and other ranking officials.

The anti-graft agency said it discovered that, from the N90bn Hajj subsidy, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others above the necessary operational costs.

Meanwhile, the Presidency described the new NAHCON Chief, Usman, as “a renowned scholar with qualifications from two Islamic centres of excellence — the University of Madinah and Peshawar University, Pakistan.”

“He is also well-grounded in Hajj operations, having served as the Chairman of Kano State Pilgrims Board, and successfully superintended the operations of the largest quota of state pilgrims in the country,” it added.

The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Ngelale said the President expected the new NAHCON Chairman to “discharge his duties with integrity, transparency, and utmost fidelity to the nation.”

PUNCH