The Civil Society Network Against Corruption
(CSNAC), a coalition of over 150 anti-corruption organizations whose primary
aim is to constructively combat corruption, has urged the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to urgently investigate alleged corrupt acts
in the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) under the leadership of its
Executive Chairman, Abdullahi Muktar Mohammed, according to saharareporters
In a petition signed by CSNAC Chairman
Olanrewaju Suraju and addressed to the anti-graft commission acting chairman,
Ibrahim Magu, the coalition said it has in its possession a copy of a petition
written by a concerned stakeholder alleging a "cancer of corruption" in NAHCON.
According to the petition, it was alleged
that Mr. Mohammed only refunded the celebrated almost N1.7 billion to 2015 Hajj
pilgrims after threats were made from top-ranking NAHCON officials to expose
the sharp practices and extortion resulting in the money.
The petition read,
"The executive chairman is alleged to have also spearheaded
the NAHCON e-wristbands project after the unfortunate incident of stampede at
the 2015 Hajj. The Chairman is accused of initiating the project to fleece the
commission and pilgrims of hundreds of millions of Naira.
"The project was allegedly implemented in spite of opposition
to and rejection of the project by his management team. The rejection is said
to be based on the commitment of the Saudi Arabia government in implementing
e-wristbands for all pilgrims starting from 2016 Hajj."
The petitioner alleged that the contracts for
e-wristbands were awarded to four companies as follows:
Lot 1 (Northwest) and Lot 3 (South
South/West/East) with a total of 39,931 pilgrims awarded to two companies
allegedly fronting for the Executive Chairman and Lot 2 (North East and
Central) with a total of 25,061 pilgrims awarded to another company allegedly
fronting for the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal
(whose office oversees NAHCON), while Lot 4 (International Pilgrims) with a
total of 10,000 pilgrims went to a company allegedly fronting for the Director
of Procurement at NAHCON.
"On this wristband project, each pilgrim is charged N25,000
for the wristband and a total of 74,992 pilgrims for the 2016 Hajj amounting to
N1,874,800,000 (one billion, eight hundred and seventy four million, eight
hundred million Naira). Meanwhile, the actual quoted cost for the job was
N14,350 which amounted to N1,076,135,200."
The petition noted further that an agreement
was allegedly reached on the payment of differential in the amount charged
pilgrims and that paid to the companies be remitted to the leadership of
NAHCON.
"Please
note, the Saudi government did announce on the 29th of June, 2016 it's
readiness to give all pilgrims e-wristbands with a better version starting from
this year Hajj. In view of this, it is important to know:
(a) Why NAHCON insisted on charging Nigerian
pilgrims for the wristbands if Saudi Arabia is providing a much better version?
(b) Why NAHCON is still going on with the
wristband project in spite of official confirmation from Saudi Arabia on its
readiness to provide wristbands?
(c) Who are the promoters of the companies
awarded the wristband contract and at what cost?
(d) How much is NAHCON charging the pilgrims
for the wristbands?
"CSNAC
is therefore with this petition, demanding your prompt and urgent investigation
of this matter," the anti-corruption network stated.
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