The Governor of Niger State, Umaru Mohammed Bago, has called for an immediate probe of the N90bn federal government subsidy for the 2024 Hajj subsidy.
The governor made the call in an interview in Saudi Arabia.
The governor has also called for the investigation of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to account for the fund.
“It’s sad, and the National Assembly should investigate these funds,” Bago said while expressing doubt about the transparency of NAHCON’s financial operations.
The governor said he would lead efforts inside the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to introduce legislation to dissolve NAHCON’s operational powers.
He said, “NAHCON isn’t helping the situation. The government has no business doing this business.
“In a nutshell, the 2024 Hajj operation is a failure. However, we as a country have failed. We have failed and will continue to fail.
“NAHCON is intended to be a regulator, not an operator. But NAHCON has decided to continue playing the role of operation, and so they failed.
“In my state, two pilgrims died in Medina as a result of medical issues that could have been avoided with proper screening.
“Another four died as a result of the heat wave.”