President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Jalal Arabi as the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), barely a year into his tenure. The abrupt termination comes as Arabi faces allegations of mismanaging a staggering N90 billion in Hajj subsidies, an accusation that has sparked nationwide outrage.
President Tinubu wasted no time in appointing Prof. Abdullahi Usman as the new NAHCON Chairman. Usman, a highly respected scholar with degrees from the University of Madinah and Peshawar University in Pakistan, also brings a wealth of experience in Hajj operations. His previous role as Chairman of the Kano State Pilgrims Board saw him overseeing the largest contingent of state pilgrims in Nigeria, earning him a reputation for efficiency.
According to an official statement from Presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale, Prof. Usman’s appointment is pending Senate confirmation. The President has tasked him with restoring integrity and accountability to NAHCON.
Arabi’s dismissal and the swirling scandal surrounding his alleged mismanagement have drawn significant attention, especially after reports emerged that both Arabi and NAHCON Secretary Abdullahi Kontagora were detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC reportedly recovered 314,098 Saudi riyals from Arabi, intensifying the scrutiny on his tenure.
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In a related development, President Tinubu also revamped the leadership of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC). He appointed Jennifer Adighije as the new Managing Director and CEO, Adighije is one of the few women to hold such a high-ranking position in Nigeria’s energy sector.
Adighije, an engineer with extensive experience in both private and public sectors, holds a master’s degree in Wireless Networks & Telecommunications from Queen Mary University of London and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering from the University of Lagos. Her leadership is expected to breathe new life into the NDPHC’s management of the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP).
The newly appointed management team for NDPHC also includes industry veterans: Abdullahi Kassim (Executive Director, Generation), Bello Babayo Bello (Executive Director, Networks), Emmanuel Umeoji (Executive Director, Corporate Services), Omololu Agoro (Executive Director, Finance & Accounts), Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama (Executive Director, Strategy & Commercial), and Steven Andzenge (Executive Director, Legal Services).
President Tinubu has charged this new team with the crucial task of harnessing their expertise to revitalize Nigeria’s power infrastructure and ensure reliable energy distribution across the country.
