The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained Sirajo Salisu Usman, brother of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, over an alleged N50 billion fraud linked to the 2025 Hajj operations.
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According to findings, the EFCC is investigating claims of large-scale financial mismanagement within NAHCON, including questionable contracts and irregular expenditures on tents, allowances, and accommodation. Internal documents reportedly described the commission’s financial records as showing “considerable financial inefficiency.”
Sirajo Usman, who serves as a deputy director in the chairman’s office, is accused of operating as a “de facto chairman,” allegedly influencing contract approvals and major spending decisions.
The development has triggered public outcry, with calls mounting for a forensic audit of NAHCON’s accounts and the immediate removal of its chairman. Some staff unions have also threatened to embark on industrial action, citing financial mismanagement and what they described as illegal staffing practices.
Meanwhile, a previous directive by the Vice President, ordering NAHCON to disengage “pool officers,” has yet to be implemented, further fueling concerns about governance and accountability in the commission.
