The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday commenced investigation into alleged N585 million fraud perpetrated by the now suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu.
Edu reported at the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja following an invitation by the anti-graft agency earlier on Monday and was grilled as soon as she arrived.
She is being investigated for allegedly paying N585 million meant for payment of grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Cross River and Ogun States into a private account.
The invitation by the EFCC came after the minister was suspended by President Bola Tinubu earlier on Monday.
Tinubu also directed the EFCC to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transaction involving Edu’s ministry.
A statement by the spokesperson to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, said the suspension was with immediate effect.
“In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect,” the statement said.
“The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies there under,” it said.
Tinubu directed the suspended minister to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.
“Furthermore, the President has tasked a panel that is headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes.
“These directives of the President take immediate effect,” the statement said.
Edu came under fire after a memo surfaced wherein she asked the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer the sum of N585 million to a private account.
The instruction for the payment of N585 million to a private account was contained in a leaked letter dated December 20, 2023.
On Sunday, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) demanded the immediate sack and prosecution of Edu over the alleged looting of N44 billion National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) fund, and the N585.2 million said to have been diverted by her to a private account.
The PDP maintained that the alleged looting of the N44 billion NSIPA fund, including the N585.2 million, allegedly diverted by the minister to a private account, were only a small part of the corruption in the current government.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said the exposed fraud in the ministry was just a tip of the iceberg regarding the unprecedented treasury looting, unbridled stealing, and plundering of resources going on in the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, which had brought Nigeria’s economy to its knees.
“Is it not tragic and heart-breaking that a minister entrusted with public funds to support millions of poor Nigerians, who have been impoverished by the APC, turned around to divert hundreds of millions of naira meant for the wellbeing of the poor?” PDP said.
“The continuing stay of Betta Edu as minister is, therefore, provocative and amounts to stealing from a people and daring them to do their worst. It further confirms our party’s position that the Tinubu-led APC government is a cesspit of corruption; a haven for thieves and treasury looters,” it said.
Ologunagba said Nigerians were shocked by reports of how Edu and the suspended National Coordinator of NSIPA, Halima Shehu, allegedly engaged in brazen looting of billions of naira, while Nigerians, who the funds were meant for, were deprived and abandoned to excruciating hardship and misery.
“Equally disheartening is the reports of how Betta Edu allegedly directed the transfer of the N585.2 million NSIPA money into the private account of one of her fronts in clear violation of Chapter 7, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations, 2009, which expressly prohibits the payment of public money into a private account.
“For emphasis, Section 713 of Nigeria’s Financial Regulations, 2009 provides that ‘Personal money shall in no circumstances be paid into a government bank account, nor shall any public money be paid into a private bank account. An officer who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with a fraudulent intention’.
“The apparent fraudulent intention by Betta Edu in diverting public funds into a private account; an action, which was appropriately declared illegal by the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, is consistent with APC’s character and proclivity for plundering of public resources,” the party said.
