Vice President Kashim Shettima has issued a stern warning to Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), urging him to refrain from managing the commission like a sole administrator.
This warning follows allegations of misconduct and administrative breaches, including violations of procurement procedures, marginalization of board members, and unauthorized appointments.
Vice president’s official letter
The Vice President’s directive was conveyed in a letter dated March 17, 2025, titled ‘Re-Deliberate Exclusion from the Exercise of Oversight Functions’ and referenced SH/OVP/DCOS/NAHCON. The letter, signed by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President in the Office of the Vice President, expressed deep concern over the chairman’s style of leadership.
Shettima strongly criticized the setting up of committees to perform the responsibilities of the board members, describing it as a clear violation of the commission’s legal framework.
“The act does not envisage a sole administrator role and each member has a responsibility to the zone or entity he or she represents, especially with regards to all decisions relating to pilgrims’ welfare,” Mr. Shettima warned.
He continued, “Accordingly, His Excellency the Vice President has asked that your attention be drawn to the provisions of the NAHCON Act, especially.”
Rising tension among board members
The Vice President’s intervention comes in response to a formal petition submitted by NAHCON’s non-permanent commissioners representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI). Dated March 13, 2025, and titled “Deliberate exclusion from the oversight functions,” the petition accuses the chairman of systematically excluding members from their statutory duties.
In the petition, the commissioners lamented their complete alienation from the commission’s operations. They alleged that procurement decisions were made without their knowledge, board meetings were abandoned, and they were left out of important pre-hajj activities. Most notably, they stated they had no input in determining the 2025 hajj fare and only saw it on the news like every other Nigerian.
According to the letter, although the chairman acknowledged and apologized for the lapses during a meeting on February 4, 2025, he made no efforts to correct the situation afterward.
The crisis deepened further when the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria accused the NAHCON leadership of favoritism in staff placements. In a letter dated March 3, 2025, and titled “Urgent concerns regarding the placement of pool officers and administrative lapses,” they alleged unjust favoritism towards pool officers over commission staff.
Strong opposition to hiring retired officers
Another letter from the Office of the Vice President, titled “Re: Request for Special Waiver to Appoint 3 Retired Officers on Contract,” also addressed the chairman’s attempt to rehire retired staff on a contract basis. The Vice President firmly objected to this move.
“His Excellency the Vice President has expressed a strong objection to rehiring former staff of the commission on a contract basis or engaging external civil servants to the detriment of your staff that are assigned the roles and responsibilities they are employed to perform,” the letter stated.
The Vice President emphasized that such decisions would foster internal conflict and redundancy.
“Doing so will engender redundancy and create unnecessary discord and rancour within NAHCOM’s ranks,” he warned.
He advised the chairman to reverse any such appointments and directed the Human Resources unit to assess the workforce properly, stating that roles should be reassigned or capacities built where necessary.
Warning over protocol breach
In addition to administrative issues, the Vice President also addressed a breach of protocol by the NAHCON chairman in delivering official correspondence.
“I refer to your letter ref: NAHCON/Al/17/XI/645, dated 11th February 2025, but received in my office on 17th of March due to a breach in the OVP correspondence protocol,” the letter noted.
“Hand carrying official correspondence and passing, same to individual personnel is a flagrant breach of State House external mail protocol and will not be tolerated,” the letter further stated.
Allegations of nepotism and internal interference
Additional accusations have emerged suggesting that the chairman has handed over the running of NAHCON to his close relatives. According to internal sources, his son Aliyu acts as his personal assistant, his brother Surajo serves as special adviser, and his nephew Abdulmalik Diggi functions both as a special adviser and deputy director of accounts. A security aide, Abubakar, is also said to be deeply involved in the day-to-day affairs of the commission.
Officials called on the Director General of the State Security Service to follow the Vice President’s lead by removing Abubakar from the commission. They alleged that he has abandoned his role as a protective detail and is now interfering with the commission’s internal operations.
Final note from the vice president’s office
In concluding the correspondence, the Vice President emphasized that the NAHCON Act clearly mandates collective responsibility and that board members must be involved in all key decisions.
“Kindly therefore ensure that the members of the commission are given their due as envisaged by the NAHCOM act so that they are not rendered redundant and to ensure that all major decisions of the commission are in compliance with the law,” the letter stated.
Mixed reactions from commission staff
The Vice President’s action has drawn mixed reactions from within the commission. Some staff members commended Shettima’s intervention, describing it as timely and necessary.
“We are happy with Vice President Shettima’s intervention. It is long overdue. We are at the same time unhappy with Professor Usman’s backdoor approach to rehire retired staff and those from outside. This is absolute betrayal of trust,” said one official, who requested anonymity.
Others expressed frustration with Professor Usman’s leadership style, stating that the chairman had irreparably damaged the commission’s working environment and that only his removal could restore order.
“He has created a toxic working environment in the commission and the Hajj industry that his sack is the only solution to the problems he created,” said another official.
