IN continuation of the ongoing investigation into activities of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, following the scandal rocking it and its agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned 20 senior directors and officials of the ministry.
This followed a detailed investigation report on the ministry and recommendations presented by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Chairman, Musa Aliyu (SAN), presented an investigation report to the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, recently during a meeting in Abuja.
The scope of fraud in the ministry has necessitated the widening of the investigation to uncover any further financial mismanagement since the ministry was created in 2019.
It was gather that the ICPC had last year intercepted and recovered N50billion from the ministry, which was about to be embezzled, and paid into the coffers of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Some officials of the ministry were alleged to have attempted to transfer the funds into private bank accounts until it was intercepted and recovered by the then ICPC chairman, Mr. Bolaji Owasanoye.
The report is expected to assist the EFCC in its investigation of the suspended minister, Betta Edu, her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, and the suspended National Coordinator and CEO of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), Halima Shehu.
Edu is being probed for authorising the transfer of N585million funds meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states, into the private account of an accountant in the ministry, Bridget Oniyelu, while Umar-Farouq, the minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is being grilled over alleged N37bn money laundering and Shehu for allegedly moving N44billion NSIP funds into some private and corporate accounts without presidential approval.
