Financial Scandal Unveiled: EFCC Investigates Senior Officials in Humanitarian Affairs Ministry
In a significant development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has intensified its investigation into the financial scandal engulfing the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Civil servants, including the suspended Minister Betta Edu, former minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq, and the suspended National Coordinator Halima Shehu, are under scrutiny.
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Betta Edu is facing investigation for allegedly authorizing the transfer of N585 million into the private account of a ministry accountant, Bridget Oniyelu. Meanwhile, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, a former minister, is being probed for her alleged involvement in N37 billion money laundering.
Halima Shehu, the suspended National Coordinator, is under questioning for purportedly transferring N44 billion from the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) funds into private and corporate accounts without presidential approval.
The EFCC, in its pursuit of justice, has interrogated numerous senior civil servants within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. According to sources, these officials have been cooperative and provided valuable information that could aid in unraveling the financial malfeasance within the ministry.
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An EFCC insider revealed, “The women came today (Wednesday), and they’re cooperating with the commission. Director-generals and other senior officials under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, as well as senior officials of some banks, are still being interrogated over the alleged money laundering.”
This investigation follows the suspension of Betta Edu by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who acted in response to Edu’s request for the payment of N585 million into private accounts, supposedly intended for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos States.
As the EFCC delves deeper into the financial irregularities, the nation awaits further developments in this unfolding saga that has raised questions about the integrity of financial practices within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
