Vice President Kashim Shettima has issued a stern warning to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh-Usman, over alleged gross misconduct, sidelining of board members, illegal reappointments, and breach of due process.
The warning, conveyed in an official letter dated March 17, 2025, and signed by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, cautioned Usman against running the commission like a sole administrator and flouting the provisions of the NAHCON Act.
In the letter with reference number SH/OVP/DCOS/NAHCON, titled “Re-Deliberate Exclusion from the Exercise of Oversight Functions,” the vice president expressed displeasure with the chairman’s leadership style, especially his alleged use of handpicked committees to take key decisions without the involvement of the statutory board.
“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 regard to all decisions relating to pilgrims’ welfare,” the letter read.
The development follows a formal petition submitted to the vice president by eight non-permanent NAHCON commissioners representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), and Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI).
The commissioners accused Usman of excluding them from key decision-making processes, including procurement, operational visits, and the determination of the 2025 Hajj fare.
Among the petitioners are Prof. Muhammad Umaru Ndagi (North-Central), Alhaji Abba K. Jato (North-East), Shaykh Muhammad Bn Uthman (North-West), Hajiya Aishat Obi (South-East), Zainab Musa (South-South), Dr. Tajudeen Abefe Oladejo (South-West), Prof. Adedimeji Mahfouz Adebola (NSCIA), and Prof. Musa Inuwa Fodio (JNI).
The commissioners alleged that meetings mandated by the Act have not been held and that the chairman has ignored complaints raised during a February 4, 2025 meeting, where he allegedly admitted to lapses but failed to take corrective action.
Mr. Shettima, in his letter, reminded the chairman of the commission’s statutory responsibilities and urged him to immediately reverse course and reintegrate board members into the decision-making process.
“Kindly therefore ensure that the members of the commission are given their due as envisaged by the NAHCOM Act,” the letter stated.
In a separate communication dated March 3, 2025, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria also accused NAHCON of favouritism in the placement of pool officers, undermining the morale of existing commission staff.
Additionally, Shettima condemned an attempt by the NAHCON chairman to rehire three retired officers on contract, describing it as detrimental to staff development.
In a letter titled “Re: Request for Special Waiver to Appoint 3 Retired Officers on Contract,” the vice president said such decisions would “engender redundancy and create unnecessary discord.”
The vice president further criticized Usman for breaching State House protocol by hand-delivering an official letter instead of using appropriate communication channels.
“This is a flagrant breach of State House external mail protocol and will not be tolerated,” the letter added.
Reactions within the commission have been mixed. Some staff members hailed the vice president’s intervention as timely and necessary, accusing Usman of acting unilaterally despite promising to halt controversial staff reappointments.
“We are happy with Vice President Shettima’s intervention. It is long overdue,” one official said anonymously. “Professor Usman’s backdoor approach is a betrayal of trust.”
Others within NAHCON have called for the chairman’s immediate removal, accusing him of creating a toxic environment and surrounding himself with family members and loyalists in strategic positions, including his son, brother, and nephew.
“The chairman has fought with nearly everyone—staff, board members, tour operators, and even Saudi service providers,” another staffer alleged.
“He’s irredeemable. The vice president should sack him before he plunges the 2025 Hajj operations into chaos.”
The staff also urged the Director General of the State Security Service to withdraw a protective detail assigned to the chairman, alleging that the officer has abandoned his security role for administrative interference.
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