Crisis rocks hajj commission, as civil society group calls for sacking of board members
Kola Oyelere Kano
A fresh crisis has erupted at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) following a call by a civil society organisation for the immediate sacking of some members of the Commission’s Board of Directors over alleged integrity issues and internal power struggles.
The Coalition for Justice and Right Protection, a civil society group, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene decisively by removing board members with pending or inherited cases before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement issued on Wednesday ,the group’s Coordinator, Muhammad Nda Auwal, said oversight within the Commission cannot be credible when those entrusted with it are allegedly burdened by unresolved investigations.
“We call for the immediate resignation of all Board members with pending or inherited EFCC cases. Oversight cannot be credible when clouded by unresolved investigations,” Auwal said.
The group also demanded the resignation of any board member involved in what it described as an unlawful vote of no confidence carried out outside procedures recognised by law.
“We further demand the resignation of any Board member who participated in issuing an unlawful vote of no confidence outside the procedures provided by law. If they truly believe in accountability, they must submit themselves to it,” he added.
Auwal stressed that Nigeria’s Hajj administration should not be reduced to a theatre of personal ambition or internal rivalry, noting that the Commission is responsible for matters involving lives, diplomacy and Nigeria’s international obligations.
“The Commission needs stability. The law must prevail. Those without clean hands must step aside. Anything short of this will confirm that the objective was never accountability, but control,” the statement read.
The group urged the Presidency and other relevant authorities to act swiftly in the national interest, warning that the ongoing dispute could undermine public trust, disrupt Hajj preparations and damage Nigeria’s international standing.
According to the coalition, board members who are subjects of EFCC investigations lack the moral authority to sit in judgment over the Commission’s management.
“You cannot claim oversight credibility while carrying unresolved integrity questions,” Auwal said.
He also criticised what he described as vague allegations and public insinuations by some board members, noting that no concrete evidence such as dates, transaction details, contract references or audit queries had been presented.
“Insinuations, allegations and public accusations are not substitutes for evidence. This failure weakens their claims and exposes a reckless disregard for due process,” he said.
The coalition further noted that financial controls at NAHCON require joint endorsements from the Commissioner in charge of Planning, Research, Statistics, Information and Library Services (PPMF), Accounts and Internal Audit before any payment is made.
It added that procurement decisions are committee-based, properly documented and subject to statutory review, arguing that cases being referenced at the EFCC were inherited and involved commissioners who are now, according to the group, attempting to portray themselves as moral arbiters.
The group also maintained that board members have no statutory authority to pass or communicate a vote of no confidence in the Commission’s chairman, describing the situation as part of a troubling pattern of internal sabotage.
The development adds to growing concerns over governance and stability within NAHCON as preparations for upcoming Hajj operations continue.
All efforts made to get across to alleged members fingered by the group to hear their side of the allegations was not successful as st the time of filling this report