President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has removed Jalal Arabi from his role as the executive chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). In his place, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman has been appointed as the new chairman of the Commission.
This decision comes as Arabi faces an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) concerning the management of funds during the recently concluded 2024 Hajj exercise.
According to a statement by Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale on Monday evening, Professor Usman is a distinguished scholar with qualifications from the University of Madinah and Peshawar University in Pakistan. He also has extensive experience in Hajj operations, having served as the Chairman of the Kano State Pilgrims Board, where he managed the largest state pilgrim quota in the country.
The appointment of Professor Usman is subject to confirmation by the Senate. President Tinubu expects him to carry out his duties with integrity, transparency, and a strong commitment to the nation.
In related news, President Tinubu has also approved a new management team for the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC). The new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer is Engineer Jennifer Adighije, who brings a wealth of experience from both the private and public sectors. She 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.
Other new members of the NDPHC management team include:
- Engineer Abdullahi Kassim – Executive Director (Generation)
- Engineer Bello Babayo Bello – Executive Director (Networks)
- Mr. Emmanuel Umeoji – Executive Director (Corporate Services)
- Mr. Omololu Agoro – Executive Director (Finance & Accounts)
- Engineer Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama – Executive Director (Strategy & Commercial)
- Barrister Steven Andzenge – Executive Director (Legal Services)
The President expects this new team to utilize their expertise to effectively manage the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) and fulfill NDPHC’s mandate.
