The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) has firmly denied allegations of fraudulent activities related to the 2024 Hajj operations. In a statement submitted to the Nigeria Exchange Limited on Sunday, NAHCO’s Company Secretary, Bello Abdullahi, characterized the accusations as “false, erroneous, and misleading.”
The allegations, which emerged on social media, accused NAHCO’s Chairman, Seinde Fadeni, of misappropriating funds, including inflating estacodes, charging excessive consultancy fees, and making unaccounted cash withdrawals amounting to millions of naira. Additionally, Fadeni was accused of backdating documents and fraudulently approving payments.
NAHCO has categorically rejected these claims, asserting that they are completely unfounded and have no connection to either the chairman or the company itself. The company emphasized its commitment to transparency and integrity in all its operations, particularly during sensitive processes like the Hajj operations.
The statement read: “The content of the said social media post relates to alleged fraud in Hajj subsidy operations, pilgrims’ accommodations, and other Hajj-related matters, which have nothing to do with the Chairman of NAHCO PLC.”
The company assured stakeholders that the allegations are baseless and has called for discretion in sharing unverified information.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly recovered N137 million in inflated estacodes, but NAHCO has not confirmed this.
The company urged the public, customers, and shareholders to disregard the unfounded allegations and promised to upholdi the trust reposed in the board and management.
“NAHCO is committed to providing the highest standards of service and transparency in all its operations. The baseless claims circulating on social media are part of a smear campaign aimed at distracting us from our core mandate,” it stated.
The allegations have sparked concerns about transparency and accountability in the management of Hajj operations.
However, NAHCO’s denial has raised questions about the validity of the claims.
