Reps probe NAHCON chair over misconduct

The House of Representatives has mandated its committee on public petitions to probe the chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Mukhtar Abdullahi Mohammed, over allegations of misconduct during last year’s pilgrimage.

The House directive followed a petition by the Nigerian Arewa Foundation laid on the floor of the House by Rep Ali Isa (PDP, Gombe).

In a petition titled ‘Petition against the illicit manners and conducts of the chairman, NAHCON’ the petitioners said “we are deeply concerned beyond fathom about the manner in which the chairman illicitly turned the Nigeria Hajj Commission into his private enterprise.

They accused the NAHCON boss of “enacting his own laws to suit his own personal aggrandizement and selfishly disregarding the welfare of the Nigerian pilgrims, which is his primary assignment.”

They alleged that NAHCON levied companies that provided accommodations and catering services to Nigerian pilgrims at the sum of 50 Riyal and 70 Riyal respectively.

Besides, they alleged that the chairman “manipulated the appointments of the catering agents against the ethics or tradition of the Nigeria pilgrims catering services.”

They demanded that the chairman be reprimanded “because it is evident that there is deep rooted corruption in the operation and running of the commission” and that he should be compelled to refund all deducted amount.

They also called for suspension of the chairman and “replace him with a more patriotic, more modest and more morally principled chairman pending the outcome of the investigations.”