Senate bemoans massive fraud in Hajj operation, asks EFCC to probe NAHCON

The Senate has bemoaned fraudulent atrocities endemic in the yearly holy pilgrimage hajj operation to Saudi Arabia.

The Senate Ad- Hoc Committee on Accommodation, Logistics, Feeding, Onshore and Offshore of the Nigeria Pilgrims, on Thursday indicted the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) for massive frauds in Hajj operation and consequently recommended sanctioning of the Commission by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

and other relevant agencies for alleged violation of relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) and even some provisions of NAHCON establishment Act .

The committee in a report presented by its Chairman, Senator Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central), to the Senate at plenary alleged that annually NAHCON and the State Pilgrims Welfare Board (SPWB) sponsor outrageous number of officials to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from revenue generated from pilgrims and funds from state governments.

According to the report, the N1.4 million charged for hajj fare this year was inflated to the tune of about N400,000.00 on each pilgrim.

The report stated: “That the National and state officials ‘ roles of Medicals, Media, Ulamas and Guides often overlap with one another.

“That in many cases, relatives and cronies of NAHCON and SPWBs ‘ Executives were sponsored in the name of officials just to enable them perform the Hajj with fees paid by ordinary Nigerians

“That NAHCON officials are reluctant to pursue matters that affects the general welfare of the Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia as clearly evidence in their failure to pursue the payment of compensation of some families of the victims of the 2015 crane and stampede tragedies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.

Consequently the committee recommended thus: “That NAHCON should immediately constitute proper procurement planning committee in line with Public Procurement Act, 2007.

“That all unnecessary charges by NAHCON and SPWB, such as administrative charge, Hajj Development Levy (N5,000) , Yellow card, Registration forms, SPWB administrative charges and other charges should be stopped immediately

“That the National Assembly should immediately commence amending the NAHCON and Utility charges commission Acts to bring them to be in conformity with present day realities

“That number of days for the accommodation in Madina should be reduced from 75 days to only 40 days.

“That number of bed spaces in Madina should also be reduced to 20,000 from 24, 000 as currently and bogusly contracted.

“That the monumental fraud associated with the provision of accommodation in Madina through subletting of bed spaces and other procured services rendered by the commission between 2015 and 2018 should be investigated fully by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“That the 2019 Hajj fare should not be above N1m under whatever circumstances.

However the Senate at the committee of the whole, couldn’t consider the entire report but resolved to revisit it next week.