By Emiola Osifeso
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained Mr. Sirajo Salisu Usman, brother of the Chairman and CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman (popularly known as Pakistan), over alleged fraud involving billions of naira.
Mr. Usman, who serves as Deputy Director in the Chairman’s Office at NAHCON, was arrested by EFCC operatives in Abuja on Wednesday afternoon and spent the night in custody, sources confirmed to SpearNews.
Widely nicknamed “ka fi chairman” by colleagues, a Hausa phrase roughly meaning “the de facto chairman” Mr. Usman is alleged to have played a central role in the financial scandals rocking the commission.
“The chairman’s brother is still in EFCC detention as of 12 p.m. on Thursday,” a source inside NAHCON told our correspondent.
Multiple insiders linked the arrest to EFCC’s ongoing investigation into the alleged diversion of over N50 billion in public funds under Professor Pakistan’s leadership.
During the 2025 Hajj alone, the commission is accused of squandering N25 billion on Masha’ir tents, N1.6 billion on spouses, and N8 billion on contingency houses in Makkah, among other expenditures.
On August 19, EFCC had earlier detained NAHCON’s Commissioner of Policy, Personnel and Finance (PPMF), Aliu Abdulrazak, and the Commissioner of Planning, Research, Statistics, Information, and Library Services (PRSILS), Professor Abubakar A. Yagawal, in connection with the alleged fraud.
Earlier in the month, other top officials, including Abdulmalik Diggi (Deputy Director, Accounts, and Special Adviser on General Services to the C/CEO), Barrister Nura Danladi (Legal Adviser), and Mr. Sirajo himself were questioned by the EFCC.
Sources alleged that Mr. Sirajo has been acting as a shadow head of the commission, often approving major decisions without the direct involvement of his brother.
“Mr. Sirajo is a powerful force in the commission. This is an open secret. He derives his power from the chairman’s lack of capacity in reading and understanding the English language,” one senior NAHCON official said.
Another corroborated, stating:
“Mr. Sirajo translates and helps treat official memos and other communications for the chairman. That is the advantage he takes in micromanaging everyone in the commission.”
He is also accused of personally securing 6,500 contingency bed spaces in Makkah that were never used, resulting in the reported loss of N8 billion, a case EFCC is now investigating.
Contrary to NAHCON spokesperson Fatima Usara’s claim that the detention of the official was a “routine operation,” multiple sources confirmed to SpearNews that EFCC is conducting a comprehensive probe into the 2025 Hajj operation. The investigation covers allegations of misappropriation of public funds, procurement fraud, abuse of office, and outright theft.
Investigators have already grilled coordinators for Makkah and Madinah, the E-Tract Team handling data entry for Masha’ir contracts and accommodation, as well as desk officers for the Ulama team, media team, National Medical Team (NMT), aviation, and Turaddadiyya committees.
Meanwhile, NAHCON’s board held a two-day marathon meeting earlier this week, during which it accused Professor Pakistan of breaching procurement laws, retaining pool officers against directives, and running the commission as a sole administrator despite clear warnings from Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Vice President Shettima had ordered the disengagement of pool officers, but sources say the chairman not only retained them, he sponsored 25 out of 26 pool staff to this year’s Hajj.
Commission workers are now threatening a shutdown if the pool officers are not released and have vowed to resist plans to re-engage dismissed and retired staff. Among them is Mr. Tawfiq Akinwale, who was earlier sacked for violating the Electoral Act 2022 and Public Service Rules by contesting the 2023 Oyo State governorship election while still a serving federal officer.
Stakeholders are demanding a complete overhaul of NAHCON, insisting that beyond the removal of the chairman, all misappropriated funds must be recovered and those responsible prosecuted.
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