N90bn Corruption Case: Former Hajj Commission Boss Leaves EFCC Detention, Details Emerge
- The EFCC has granted bail to Jalal Arabi, former chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, and Abdullahi Kontagora, the commission’s secretary,
- Arabi and Kontagora were held for five days due to their initial inability to meet bail conditions
- The EFCC's ongoing investigation revealed that Arabi fraudulently overpaid himself and others for the Hajj subsidy
FCT, Abuja - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has granted bail to Jalal Arabi, the dismissed chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, and Abdullahi Kontagora, the commission’s secretary.
Arabi and Kontagora were detained for their alleged involvement in the illegal withdrawal and mismanagement of the N90 billion 2024 Hajj intervention fund.
Source: Twitter
Initially, they remained in EFCC custody for five days due to their inability to meet bail conditions, The Punch reported.
Ex-Hajj Commission boss fulls bail requirement
However, a source familiar with the situation confirmed on Wednesday, August 21, that Arabi and Kontagora have fulfilled their bail requirements and were released on Monday, August 19, The Punch reported.
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The source also noted that no additional recoveries had been made since the initial recovery of 314,098 Saudi Riyal.
The source said:
The former chairman and secretary of the Hajj Commission have been released, with the investigation still underway. They were released on Monday after fulfilling their bail requirements.
No further developments have been reported, and no additional recoveries have been made beyond the initial ones."
The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, was unavailable for comment at the time of this report.
On August 15, the EFCC's investigation uncovered that Arabi had fraudulently overpaid himself and others from the N90bn Hajj subsidy allocated for operational costs, Leadership reported.
The anti-corruption agency also reported that 314,098 Saudi Riyals were recovered from Arabi and others during the ongoing investigation.
EFCC denies sharing of N54bn forfeited by Emefiele's allies
In another development. Legit.ng reported that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, August 21, denied a media report suggesting that its officials shared forfeited assets linked to Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and his associates.
But, reacting via a statement, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, said the story is false.
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Source: Legit.ng
