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A fresh wave of controversy is sweeping through the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) as mounting allegations implicate the Commissioner of Operations, Anofi Elegushi, in what insiders describe as a brazen disregard for civil service rules, Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s explicit directive, and growing tendencies of nepotism and impunity. Multiple senior staff who spoke to this newspaper, fearing reprisals, disclosed that Mr. Elegushi has continued to retain a retired NAHCON official, Mr. Gaffar, who left the service in 2023. Despite having no legal standing within the commission, the retired officer allegedly maintains unrestricted access to official operations and enjoys privileges befitting a serving staff. “He has no portfolio, no official role, yet he attends meetings, travels with the commissioner, and even maintains offices in both Abuja and Saudi Arabia,” one source lamented. “This is a clear violation of the Public Service Rules, and staff confidence i...

His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR President, Federal Republic of Nigeria State House, Abuja Your Excellency, I write as a concerned citizen and Muslim who cares deeply about the welfare of Nigerian pilgrims and the reputation of our country. I respectfully urge you to review the current supervisory arrangement of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and return its day to day supervision to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), while keeping it firmly under the Presidency as required by law. This request is about efficiency, productivity, accountability, and the long term stability of Hajj administration in Nigeria. 1. Brief history of Hajj management in Nigeria 1. In 1953, Alhaji Abubakar Imam moved a motion in the Northern House of Assembly for a Nigerian pilgrims office in Jeddah, to protect pilgrims who were facing hardship in Saudi Arabia.  2. Regional Pilgrims Welfare Boards emerged from 1958 in Western Re...