BREAKING NEWS: NAHCON chairman resigns after board petition

Board petition, EFCC probe and security briefings triggered exit, Hajj reporters says

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, has resigned following a formal petition by board members and adverse reports from anti-corruption and security agencies, according to Independent Hajj Reporters.

Sources familiar with the development told the group that the resignation followed weeks of internal crisis within the commission, culminating in a joint petition signed by all members of the NAHCON board and submitted to the Presidency.

Independent Hajj Reporters said the petition raised concerns about leadership, administrative capacity and internal governance at the commission, prompting presidential attention.

According to the sources, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was briefed on the matter and became particularly concerned after learning of the reduction of Nigeria’s Hajj quota from about 95,000 to 50,000 pilgrims, a decision that affected intending pilgrims nationwide.

The development was compounded, the sources said, by reports from intelligence agencies and an ongoing financial probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which further weakened the chairman’s standing.

The President was said to have directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to review the board’s petition alongside the security and investigative reports and to make recommendations, including options for leadership changes at the commission.

Independent Hajj Reporters said the resignation did not come as a surprise to stakeholders in the Hajj sector, who had been closely monitoring disputes and operational challenges within NAHCON since Usman assumed office.

The resignation is expected to clear the way for reforms at the commission as Nigeria prepares for future Hajj operations.

Neither NAHCON nor the Presidency had issued an official statement at the time of filing this report.

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