The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has said some of the officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) have been arrested over the ₦90 billion hajj subsidy.

Confirming the development on Saturday, the spokesperson of the commission, Demola Bakare, told TheCable that some NAHCON officials were arrested by the commission on Wednesday for “refusing to honour an invitation” by the anti-graft agency.

Bakare debunked the claims that ICPC shutdown NAHCON’s office, emphasising that the commission operates within legal boundaries.

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He, however, declined to name the arrested officials, noting that they were assisting the commission with useful information.

He said, “We are investigating officials of the National Hajj Commission because they either failed or refused to honour the invitation. We therefore paid them a friendly visit.

“We didn’t shut down the commission as reported by some journalists. ICPC operates within the confines of the law.

“Officials arrested, which I can’t name, were released on bail and would henceforth be helping the investigation process until concluded.”

The spokesperson of NAHCON, Fatimah Usara, while speaking on the arrest, said it was not unusual for officials to be queried after hajj operations.

She said, “Some of the commission’s relevant staff had been making presentations to the ICPC when demanded.

“And this is a thing that the commission considers normal because it happens after every hajj until any doubt is cleared. It’s nothing new.

The Head of Procurement had an invitation which he didn’t honour so two days ago, on Wednesday precisely, the ICPC sent the relevant officers to him, him alone.

“In fact, NAHCON accommodated them to wait for him to report to work, which they did. And when he came, they left together. No one entered any office at all. They waited outside.”