‘Fraud’: Fatima Sanda, NAHCON spokesperson, others arrested by EFCC

Fatima Sanda, the public affairs director of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, were among officials of the Commission who were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged fraud and money laundering.

Fatima Sanda and three other NAHCON officials were arrested on Tuesday at the Commission’s headquarters located at 991/992 Zakaria Maimalari Street, Central Business District, Abuja.

The operatives arrived at the commission in a white bus at exactly 11 a.m. on Tuesday with a valid warrant of arrest.

Fatima Usara Sanda and the three other officials are currently being interrogated at the EFCC office headquarters in Abuja.

EFCC had been investigating NAHCON and its ex-chairman, Jalal Arabi and the secretary, Abdullahi Kontagora, over the alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion 2024 Hajj subsidy.

The anti-graft agency said its investigation revealed that from the N90 billion, Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others the necessary operational cost.

“The chairman was entitled to SR15,929 but he got SR50,000; three commissioners who were meant to get SR15,929 each received SR 40,000 each. The secretary got SR30,000 instead of SR14,336. Directors/Chief of Staff received SR30,000 instead of the SR2,550 they were entitled to. A total of SR314,098 were recovered from all of them.” EFCC had grilled Arabi for hours on July 29, 2024, and released him on bail.

Recall that operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had also raided the headquarters of the commission over the alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion intervention fund for the 2024 Hajj.

When contacted, EFCC Spokesperson Dele Oyewale promised to provide details at the time of filing this report.