Fresh concerns have emerged within the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) following allegations raised by some staff members regarding administrative practices in the Operations Department, led by Commissioner Anofi Elegushi.
Several officials who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity said they were worried about what they described as “irregular access” allegedly granted to a retired NAHCON staff member, Mr. Gaffar, who exited the service in 2023. According to them, despite his retirement, the former officer is still occasionally seen around commission activities and has been observed participating in engagements linked to the Operations Unit.
One staff member claimed that the situation has caused unease among employees who believe it may conflict with provisions of the Public Service Rules.
However, the commission has not issued any official statement confirming or denying these claims.
A similar concern was raised regarding a former youth corps member who sources say completed her national service months ago but is reportedly still associated with the Operations Department. Some staff allege that her continued presence may be linked to personal ties, although this could not be independently verified.
Previous Directive from the Vice-President
Documents sighted by this newspaper indicate that Vice-President Kashim Shettima had earlier declined a request by NAHCON to engage retired personnel on contract. In a memo titled “RE: Request for Special Waiver to Appoint Three Retired Officers on Contract,” the Office of the Vice-President advised the commission to discontinue such arrangements and instead carry out an internal capability assessment.
It is unclear whether the matters raised by staff are connected to this directive, and NAHCON has not officially responded to enquiries on the issue.
Staff Union Concerns
Some employees claimed that although the staff union had previously raised concerns about the role of non-serving individuals within the organisation, no formal action has been taken in this particular instance.
Several noted that the sensitive nature of the allegations has discouraged open discussion.
There were also unconfirmed reports that the commissioner may have influenced recent internal postings, including the redeployment of Halidu Shutti as Director of Human Resources. Insiders suggested the changes might be part of broader administrative adjustments within the commission. No official comment has been issued to clarify these claims.