The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) is currently embroiled in a corruption scandal, with allegations that the management has reinstated retired civil servants to key positions. One such case is that of Usman Ardo Kumo, a retired civil servant turned politician who contested the 2019 elections. Despite his resignation from the North-West Development Commission being accepted, Kumo was allegedly reinstated by Bukar Babagana, NAHCON’s Director of Administration and Human Resources.
Sources within NAHCON revealed that Kumo’s reinstatement was a deliberate move by Bukar to place him in the lucrative procurement office. This decision was made despite civil service rules stating that contract appointments should not exceed four years. Kumo’s reinstatement was exposed by whistleblowers, forcing him to abandon the position.
Further investigations revealed that Bukar also influenced the contract extension of Dr. Aliyu Tanko, who had retired from the civil service in 2020. Tanko’s contract was renewed for another two years, despite exceeding the maximum four-year extension allowed by civil service rules.
The sources also called for the probe of some Assistant Directors, including Wafiyyah Saleh, Fatima Usara, and Mustapha Abba, over their roles in the commission. A 2021 report aimed at enforcing civil service rules and demoting overpromoted staff was allegedly buried due to key beneficiaries enjoying statuses above their legitimate grades.
NAHCON has faced criticism over poor services and handling of Muslims seeking pilgrimage in the country. Recently, the commission announced the disbursement of refunds totaling N5.3 billion to states, tour operators, and other stakeholders involved in the 2023 Hajj. The refund followed claims of substandard electricity services during the core Hajj period by the Saudi Arabian authorities.
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