Betta Edu: EFCC recovers N30bn, investigates 50 bank accounts

At least N30 billion has been recovered from the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Beta Edu and former chief executive officer of the National Social Investment Programme Authority (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said.

 The anti-graft agency, which also disclosed that it has placed 50 bank accounts under investigation in the ongoing probe, broke its silence after three months it began the investigation into the alleged malfeasance of the two public office holders.

 Daily Trust had reported how President Bola Tinubu suspended both Edu and Shehu for the alleged financial misappropriation while suspending Social Investment Programmes and directed the EFCC to take over the case and probe both embattled officials.

 The Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, who spoke via the March edition of the anti-graft agency’s monthly e-magazine, EFCCAlert, insisted that all high-profile cases being handled by the agency will be pursued to a logical conclusion.

 “We have laws and regulations guiding our investigations. Nigerians will also know that they are already on suspension and this is based on the investigations we have done, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has proved to Nigerians that he is ready to fight corruption.

 “Moreover, with respect to this particular case, we have recovered over N30 billion, which is already in the coffers of the federal government. It takes time to conclude investigations; we started this matter less than six weeks ago.

 “There are cases that take years to investigate. There are so many angles to it. And we need to follow through with some of the discoveries that we have seen. Nigerians should give us time on this matter; we have professionals on this case and they need to do things right. There are so many leads here and there.

 “As it is now, we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into. That is no child’s play. That’s a big deal. Then you ask about my staff strength. And again, we have thousands of other cases that we are working on,” the EFCC boss said.