The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has raised concerns over alleged favoritism, unjust postings of pool officers, and administrative irregularities at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
The union, in a letter dated March 3, 2025, and addressed to NAHCON’s executive council and board members, said the development was undermining the morale of dedicated staff and could hinder the commission’s efficiency.
The letter, titled “Urgent Concerns Regarding the Placement of Pool Officers and Administrative Lapses”, alleged that recently posted pool officers had been placed in critical leadership positions ahead of seasoned NAHCON staff.
“It has come to our notice that pool officers recently posted to NAHCON have been placed in critical leadership positions ahead of seasoned NAHCON staff, who have dedicated years of service to the Hajj industry.
“A recent instance is the replacement of the Head of Policy and Research, a NAHCON staff, with an officer from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), despite the absence of a vacancy,” the letter read in part.
The union urged the executive council and board members to immediately withdraw all pool officers in major divisions and ensure fairness in appointments.
“Pool officers who have been placed in strategic positions ahead of NAHCON staff should be withdrawn to ensure fairness and recognition of institutional experience.
“Pool officers should also not be allowed to participate in the pre-hajj visit or the 2025 Hajj operations at the expense of NAHCON staff,” the letter stated.
The petition comes weeks after reports surfaced alleging that the NAHCON chairman appointed his son as his personal assistant.
Similarly, the chairman’s nephew, Abdulmalik Diggi, was reportedly appointed as a Special Assistant and deployed to the Accounts Department as a Deputy Director.
Diggi is alleged to have bypassed financial regulations by approving funds without due process, in collaboration with some aides of the chairman.
The workers also raised concerns over what they described as an imbalance in leadership positions at NAHCON, alleging that key offices were dominated by individuals from Borno State.
An insider alleged that five critical positions were currently occupied by Borno State indigenes, including the Secretary to the Commission, the Director of Admin and Human Resources, the Deputy Director of Audit, the Director of Protocol, and the Deputy Director of Procurement.
The union also cited cases of retired civil servants who continue to serve in NAHCON.
One such case involves Usman Mamza, a former legal adviser at NAHCON, who allegedly remained in office two years after retiring from the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Similarly, the Director of Protocol, Bulama, is reportedly still in office despite retiring from the federal service in April 2024.
The workers also alleged that plans were underway to recall Tawfiq Tayo Akinwale, who contested the Oyo State governorship election in 2023 under the Labour Party (LP) while still employed at NAHCON.
The workers further claimed that the NAHCON chairman had compiled a list of 70 staff members for redeployment, allegedly without any clear selection criteria.
“There is no basis for the selection of these workers,” an insider alleged.
“The workers have vowed a serious showdown with the commission’s leadership over what they describe as illegal redeployment,” the source added.
Efforts to obtain a response from NAHCON’s spokesperson, Fatima Sanda-Usara, were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to calls or text messages.
The workers called on the federal government and relevant authorities to intervene, warning that failure to address their concerns could affect preparations for the 2025 Hajj operations.
