We uncovered more fraud in humanitarian ministry – EFCC

• Says probe of past, suspended officials yielded N32.7bn, $445,000 recovery

• Investigating abuse of COVID-19 funds, World Bank loan

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said it had uncovered more fraud in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

The anti-graft agency said it had not cleared anyone involved in the ongoing probe of the ministry, which led to the suspension of the minister, Betta Edu.

It said it had so far recovered a combined sum of N32.7 billion and $445,000 from investigations into the alleged fraud involving past and suspended officials of the ministry.

Edu had threatened to sue the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for allegedly defaming her personality with the report that N30 billion was retrieved from her.

President Bola Tinubu had, earlier this year, ordered the suspension and investigation of Edu and Halima Shehu, Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Authority (NSIPA) over alleged financial malfeasance.

Many Nigerians had complained that no update had been given on the investigations by the EFCC months after the president’s directive.

But in the March edition of the commission’s monthly e-magazine titled ‘EFCC Alert’, the chairman of the commission, Ola Olukoyede, had said N30 billion was recovered from the probe and 50 bank accounts being investigated.

Yesterday, the spokesman of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, in a statement, clarified that the investigations that yielded recovery of N30 billion was not about individuals, but about the intricate web of fraudulent practices in the system.

He said the recovered sum was part of the fraudulent dealings involving COVID-19 funds, the World Bank loan, Abacha recovered loot that was released to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development.

He said the fund was released by the federal government to execute its poverty alleviation mandate.

Oyewale, who further clarified that the officials of Humanitarian ministry, including Edu, who were invited by the commission as part of the probe have not been cleared by the anti-graft agency.

“The EFCC has noticed the rising tide of commentaries, opinions, assumptions and insinuations concerning its progressive investigations into the alleged financial misappropriation in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

“At the outset of investigations, past and suspended officials of the Humanitarian Ministry were invited by the commission and investigations into the alleged fraud involving them have yielded the recovery of N32.7billion and $445,000 so far.

“Discreet investigations by the EFCC have opened other fraudulent dealings involving COVID-19 funds, the World Bank loan, Abacha recovered loot released to the Ministry by the federal government to execute its poverty alleviation mandate.

“Investigations have also linked several interdicted and suspended officials of the ministry to the alleged financial malfeasance. It is instructive to stress that the commission’s investigations are not about individuals.

“The EFCC is investigating a system and intricate web of fraudulent practices. Banks involved in the alleged fraud are being investigated. Managing Directors of the indicted banks have made useful statements to investigators digging into the infractions.

“Additionally, the EFCC has not cleared anyone allegedly involved in the fraud. Investigations are ongoing and advancing steadily. The public is enjoined to ignore any claim to the contrary,” Oyewale said.

He added that those found wanting would be prosecuted accordingly.

When contacted yesterday, Edu did not answer calls to her mobile phone line by Daily Trust seeking her reaction to the EFCC’s claims.

Her spokesman, Rasheed Olanrewaju, did not answer phone calls nor reply to a text message sent to him either.