Group exposes how Haj Commission Chairman swindle pilgrim of N1.8 billion
Citizens Action To Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) has published documents that showed how embattled chairman of National Hajj Commission, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad swindle pilgrims of over N1.8 billion under the guise of providing e-wristband.
The controversial e-wristband was introduced by HAJJ COMMISSION in 2016 and every pilgrim was charged N25,000 for the wristband.
A total number of 74,992 pilgrims went for hajj in 2016 and the sum realized from the transaction amounted to N1,874,800,000 (one billion, eight hundred and seventy four million, eight hundred million Naira). This huge amount of money collected without providing the services is now brewing fresh crisis between the NAHCON Chairman and States Pilgrims Board.
In a statement released by Ibrahim Garba Wala, National Convener of the organization, CATBAN is said to gathered that prior to the introduction of the wristband, expert warned NAHCON Chairman not to embark on the implementation of the wristband project without getting clearance from the Saudi Arabia authorities. However, the NAHCON Chairman, who was bent on cashing on the deal desperately went ahead and instructed the State Pilgrims board to charge all their pilgrims to pay the said amount. CATBAN added that, after the award and production of the said wristband, Saudi Authorities seized it and banned the used of it.
In an effort to save the situation, the NAHCON CHAIRMAN went further and sponsored protest in Jedda to influence the release of the materials, but all efforts didn't yield any result.
Recently, CATBAN says it receives report that there was a meeting in NAHCON Headquarters in Abuja where all State Pilgrims Board are demanding the refund of funds paid for the purpose of the wristband in 2016 to every pilgrim from each State. The Chairman is under serious pressure to payback the total sum of N1,874,800,000 (one billion, eight hundred and seventy four million, eight hundred million Naira). This pressure is coming from the state following some rumors which speculated the possibility of Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad loosing his seat as the Chairman of NAHCON any moment from now.
''As part of the evidences made available to CATBAN, last two weeks revealed details of how 4 companies that got the contracts and how they were paid in trenches. As a result of personal interest from the Chairman, some companies were even paid in foreign currency (US Dollars)'' it said.
The organization promised to release details of kickbacks received by Alhaji Abdullahi from the companies awarded the contract.
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