The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has discovered additional fraud within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, announced this in a statement on Sunday. The agency has not cleared any individuals involved in the ongoing investigation, which led to the suspension of Minister Betta Edu.
Through their investigations, the EFCC has recovered a combined sum of N32.7 billion and $445,000 from alleged fraud involving past and suspended officials of the ministry. Between March and April, N3 billion and $445,000 were recovered, in addition to the N30 billion previously recovered before March.
Oyewale stated that the EFCC is investigating a system and intricate web of fraudulent practices, including banks involved in the alleged fraud. Managing Directors of these banks have provided useful statements to the investigators. The public is urged to disregard any claims suggesting otherwise, as no one has been cleared in the ongoing investigation.
The EFCC’s probe was initiated under the directive of President Bola Tinubu following Minister Beta Edu’s suspension. Edu’s predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, and the Coordinator of the National Social Insurance Programmes Agency, Halima Shehu, are also under investigation. The EFCC is committed to combating naira abuse and dollarisation of the economy, with several celebrities under investigation for naira abuse.
