President Bola Tinubu has named Abdullahi Usman as the new chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), subject to Senate approval.

The announcement was made on Monday by presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale.

The statement described Usman as a distinguished scholar with credentials from the University of Madinah and Peshawar University in Pakistan. He has considerable experience in Hajj operations, including his previous role as Chairman of the Kano State Pilgrims Board, where he managed a large number of pilgrims.

President Tinubu expressed confidence in Usman’s ability to lead NAHCON with integrity and transparency. Usman succeeds Jalal Arabi, who is currently being investigated by the EFCC and ICPC for alleged mismanagement of the N90 billion presidential subsidy for the 2024 Hajj.