The Zamfara State Hajj Commission has recently made a shocking discovery. It has come to light that a staggering sum of N774 million, which was meant to be refunded to 504 prospective pilgrims in the state, has been diverted. This significant amount was collected from these individuals between 2019 and the present day, but has not been returned to them.
During the commission’s inaugural meeting and presentation of appointment letters to the newly appointed members, the Chairman of the commission, Musa Mallaha, unveiled this startling revelation. He revealed that the previous administration had failed to refund N775 million to the aforementioned 504 prospective pilgrims. This has left the commission with a total balance of just N92 million, out of the outstanding amount that needs to be repaid.
“This commission has owed N775 million to 504 intended pilgrims from all 14 local government areas, who were unable to complete their payments for hajj seats from 2019 until now,” said Mr. Mallaha.
Since his appointment as the Chairman of the commission by Governor Dauda Lawal for the 2022 hajj, Mr. Mallaha has received numerous complaints from people in the state who had deposited money for pilgrimage over the years but were never refunded.
In response to these grievances, Mr. Mallaha initiated an investigation into the matter, following the directives of Governor Dauda Lawal. As part of the investigation, it was discovered that the commission had 16 finance accounts spread across various banks. The Office of the State Accountant-General was contacted to verify these accounts, and as a result, N254 million was recovered.
Furthermore, it was also uncovered that a portion of the money deposited by the intending pilgrims had been misused by the previous administration. Some funds were used to obtain free hajj tickets and for the renovation of the state’s Hajj Camp.
The Chairman affirmed that the state government would continue to investigate the matter and ensure justice for all those affected. He made an appeal to Governor Dauda Lawal to take swift action and pay the intended pilgrims their rightful refunds.
Governance is a continuous process, and it is crucial that all individuals involved receive the justice they deserve.
Original NAN
