By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto

Sokoto state governor, Ahmed Aliyu has reassured that whatever amount spent for the propagation of religion is worthwhile.

The governor who stated this during the official inauguration of Hassan Dan Mu’azu Jumu’at mosque, Runjin sambo area renovated and remodelled by the State Government, added that, he will continue to accord priority to religious propagation.

“”No amount of money spent in the propagation of islam will be viewed as much, and our administration is ever ready to participate actively in such worthy endeavour””, Governor Aliyu enthused

Represented by his deputy, Alhaji Idris Mohammed Gobir, the governor thanked Sokoto’s people for their continued support and prayer for his administration.

A statement by the deputy governor’s spokesperson, Garba Mohammed, had quoted Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko as saying the commendable performances of the governor in less than two years in office has proved all doubting Thomases wrong

Senator Wamakko who is the leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and represents Sokoto north Senatorial district, said the governor has recorded unparalleled performances within two years in office.

According to Wamakko, some wondered and even  kicked against the  candidature of now governor Ahmed Aliyu saying he was  infamous, adding however that, they bluntly forgot that  pointing out that, “one with Allah is the majority”.

“”Some people refused to support Ahmed Aliyu’s candidature as they were doubting his capacity to pilot the affairs of the state effectively””.

Continuing, Senator Wamakko further  expressed optimism that the state would witness more dividends of democracy under governor Ahmed Aliyu’s leadership, hence, “he has so far proved to be a blessing to the state”.

Wamakko therefore expressed his appreciation to the people of Sokoto state for their continued support and cooperation to the Ahmed Aliyu led adminstration even as appealed to them to keep it up.

By Israel Bulus, Kaduna

At least 200 students from the Jema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency in Kaduna State have been selected for a scholarship scheme sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.

The scholarship initiative was facilitated by the federal lawmaker representing the constituency, Hon. Daniel Amos, as part of ongoing efforts to promote education and empower youths in the region.

In a statement issued by Amos’ Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Victor Teh Dabo, it was confirmed that the payment process for the scholarship has already commenced.

“The Office of the Member Representing Jema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency, Rep. Daniel Amos, is pleased to announce the commencement of payment for the scholarship scheme sponsored by the Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D.,” the statement read.

Dabo also urged all listed beneficiaries to visit the constituency office for clarification or further instructions regarding the disbursement.

Rep. Amos reaffirmed his commitment to youth development, stating that education remains a key priority in his efforts to improve the welfare of constituents in both Jema’a and Sanga.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) is facing allegations of racketeering and unscrupulous practices in its selection process for ad hoc staff for the 2025 Hajj operation.

This situation arises shortly after the NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, inaugurated the Principal Officers of the National Medical Team (NMT) and its Steering Committee for the upcoming 2025 Hajj.

The committee’s primary duty is to manage the selection, screening, and orientation of applicants for the national medical team.

The applicants consist of a variety of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and paramedics.

Sources reveal that over 30,000 health professionals have applied through the medical team portal, despite NAHCON intending to recruit only 300 medical personnel—a figure considered by observers to be excessive for the 50,000 pilgrims registered for this year’s Hajj.

Experts note that Nigeria’s medical team is set to be larger than those from the 10 largest Hajj countries. In comparison, Pakistan, with 179,210 pilgrims, has just over 100 medical personnel.

This trend extends to Malaysia, Turkey, India, Iran, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Algeria, and Morocco.

Insiders indicate that the decision to hire 300 medical professionals under Professor Usman’s leadership has led to allegations of racketeering and clandestine dealings involving certain staff members and external groups, allegedly with the implicit approval of those in high positions.

These groups are reportedly extorting payments from applicants to secure ad hoc staff roles for the 2025 Hajj operation.

One specific group claims to operate with the commission chairman’s tacit approval, charging N200,000 as an application fee along with 40 percent of the applicant’s Basic Travelling Allowance (BTA), approximately $800 based on the 2023 Hajj medical personnel benchmarks.

A woman from Kano, identified as Hajiya Aisha Haske Gama, also known as Jagora, leads one of the racketeering factions. She has created a three-page undertaking form under the name A.M.I Haske Nigeria Limited, requiring applicants to complete it and return it along with two passport photographs.

A copy of the form obtained by this newspaper indicates that applicants must pay a processing fee of N200,000 and agree to relinquish 40 percent of their BTA while in Saudi Arabia.

Our reporters have also acquired an audio recording of Dr. Khalid, a promoter associated with Hajiya Haske’s group, defending their activities and asserting that the racketeering activities have Professor Usman’s backing.

In the audio, Dr. Khalid urged an individual named Abubakar to confirm the legitimacy of Hajiya Aisha Haske’s group with Professor Usman or any staff member in the chairman’s office.

“Go and ask Sheikh Saleh Pakistan (Professor Usman’s nickname). Inquire whether what Hajiya Aisha Haske Gama Jagora is doing is legitimate. He is aware of our arrangement (deal). We are genuine. We aim to assist our people. Our actions are predicated on Sheikh Saleh Pakistan’s presence,” Dr. Khalid stated in Hausa.

Numerous commission staff members have corroborated the ongoing racketeering within the organisation. One official reported being offered a medical team position for N5 million. “It’s true. I was offered a medical doctor’s slot at N5 million,” he asserted.

Observers are worried that nine days to the beginning of the airlift, the medical team members have not been appointed and trained. “This portends a serious challenge for the operation. This is because you need at least a week to verify the certifications of the shortlisted medical personnel from the relevant educational and professional bodies. You need to give them crash programme on the operation,” an insider said.

Each year, the commission recruits numerous ad hoc staff to aid pilgrims during their time in the holy land. Besides the medical team, there are also personnel responsible for the media, ulama, security, stakeholders, and pilgrim assistants, among other roles.

In the 2024 Hajj, the commission sponsored 152 Muslim clerics to the holy land, alongside more than 600 others identified as “stakeholders.”

Despite reduced revenue due to a low pilgrimage turnout, the commission is contemplating sponsoring hundreds of ad hoc officials.

Saudi Arabia has allocated 95,000 Hajj slots for Nigeria in 2025, yet only about 52,000 individuals are expected to embark on the holy pilgrimage—40,000 through state governments and 12,000 via private tour operators.

“The commission lacks an approved budget for these inflated ad hoc staff hires; they plan to source funds from other categories,” one official stated confidentially.

The official criticised the commission leadership for “favouring ad hoc staff who contribute little in the holy land over trained commission personnel capable of fulfilling the tasks needed.”

Investigations have shown that many medical professionals sent to the holy land in the past have remained inactive. This led to the scrapping of many ad hoc staff positions, particularly pilgrim assistants, during Barr. Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad’s tenure, according to insiders.

They added that under the leadership of Musa Bello and Barr. Mukhtar, stakeholder slots were restricted to institutional representatives, never exceeding 30 individuals, primarily from government bodies involved in operations in Saudi Arabia. These included representatives from the offices of the SGF, AGF, President, Vice President, NIA, and National Assembly, among others.

However, he noted that nearly 1,000 individuals are transported under the pretence of being stakeholders, asserting that the “stakeholders’ slots are now being sold to the highest bidders.”

Some officials at the commission told our reporters of an ongoing extortion of staff members before they are pencilled for this year’s Hajj.

The staff members pointed an accusing finger to a permanent commissioner who allegedly collects money to include workers names in the 2025 Hajj list.

“It is pathetic. There is no criteria for picking the staff for 2025 Hajj as it used to be. It is clearly a case of extortion and crass nepotism,” one of the staff grumblingly said.

Insiders further revealed that ethnic and sectional considerations are at play in the staff selection of 2025 Hajj officials. “Commissioner PPMF, Aliyu Abdulrazak, is busy enlisting every staff from the South-South, while
Commissioner PRSILS, Professor Abubakar A Yagawal, has been considering staff from Sokoto state. It is that bad,” a staff who spoke in confidence said.

The official said, “it is only Commissioner of Operations, Prince Anofi Elegushi, that is showing semblance of fairness in the entire process. He is the only one that gives listening ears to all staff members irrespective of their state of origin. As I speak to you now he is the only fair-minded among them.”

This newspaper also found that aside the allegations of extortion, the management has also blacklisted some workers.

Further findings revealed that contrary to established tradition, not all management staff are being considered this year — which is generating bad blood in the commission.

“The leaderhip of the commission is handpicking staff without the consultation of their heads of departments as it used to be. We have situations where junior staff are handpicked while the of the department — a level 14 or even directorate cadre are left out,” another official confided on this newspaper.

Another official said traditionally all management and level 14 officials are shortlisted for the operation unless they have pending disciplinary cases.

“Workers facing disciplinary cases are being shortlisted against the standing rules. Others with no single query are not being considered because they are not in the good books of the people in the chairman’s office,” another top official in the commission said.

Staff members also expressed their displeasure over the priority given to those recently pasted to the commission from outside in the allocation of Hajj seats. “Many staff members who didn’t spend up to six months in NAHCON are now picked for the 2025 Hajj, leaving behind traditional staff who are experienced, and have been planning for the exercise for a year,” one of the staff said.

Contrary to the past where the NAHCON advance team travels to Saudi Arabia 10 days to the inaugural flight, the team is yet to travel nine days to the commencement of the airlift. Insiders said they are billed to travel on May 5 — four days to the inaugural flight, which they said is pretty late.

Stakeholders who spoke to this newspaper have renewed their calls for leadership change in the commission, while staff are calling for ICPC, EFCC and DSS to investigate every step of the Hajj preparation they argued is marred by alleged corruption, nepotism and irregularities.