Fraud Allegations: Hajj Commission Invites EFCC To Investigate Its Operation

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the operation of the Hajj Savings Scheme which has been alleged to be marred with fraudulent practices.

A story, which circulated round social media had accused the commission of funds mismanagement.

The story pushed for the suspension of the Hajj Savings Scheme and called for the investigation of the scheme by the House Committee on Pilgrimage.

The statement also alleged that the scheme is dubious, not transparent or accountable asking for quick action against it before it leads to a full-blown corruption in the system and disregard for the extent of law.

The commission, however, denied all these allegations in a statement signed by its Head of Public Affairs, Fatima Sanda Usara.

The Commission said the Hajj Savings Scheme was launched on the 4th of October 2020 as against 2006. 2006 is the year the Commission was established by the way.

The commission also stated that each subscriber to the scheme receives a monthly update on his/her deposits detailing whatever profit accrues to it and that Pilgrims on the HSS monitor their accounts directly from their phones if they wish.

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The statement reads, “For two years that Hajj did not take place, pilgrims’ Hajj fare deposits have been in the coffers of most State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards/Agencies/Commissions against NAHCON’s directives and against extant laws with the exception of Adamawa: that remitted N500,000,000.00; Bauchi: N327,500,000.00, Borno: N100,000,000.00; Edo:N124,000,000.00; Gombe: N350,000,000.00; Kogi: N26,633,940.00; Nasarawa: N252,000,000.00; Niger: N433,110,000.00; Osun: N150,000,000,00; Oyo: N2000,000,000.00; Taraba: N400,000,000.00; Yobe: N400,000,000.00; and Armed Forces: N320,000,000.00 .”

It added that “Equally, the remittances made by the aforementioned states totalling N3,583,243,940.00 were safely kept in the Central Bank of Nigeria until early this year when the amount was finally returned to the respective states.

“By introducing the HSS, what NAHCON aims to achieve is profit for the pilgrim who entrusts his money for the sake of travelling for Hajj.

“If the quoted amount above had been deposited with the Ja’iz bank under the HSS, the bonuses the pilgrims would receive would have superseded what they gained presently.

“It was for this reason that the Commission instructed state boards to register their pilgrims under the scheme to make their deposits appreciate thereby cushioning the effect of devaluation.

“Curiously, has the pilgrim who deposited his money under the states received additional profit under the two years his money has been with the authorities? The story would have been different if the deposits were made under the Hajj Savings Scheme.

“Finally, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria makes bold to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the operation of the Hajj Savings Scheme as well as to investigate the management of pilgrims’ funds under each Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards of the federation. This invitation will be formally forwarded to EFCC to absolve the Commission of any allegations.

“Additionally, NAHCON supports and welcomes the investigation by the House Committee on Pilgrimage.”