Nobody cleared yet in Humanitarian Ministry probe, says EFCC
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THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) yesterday disclosed that it has discovered other fraudulent dealings involving COVID- 19 funds, World
Bank loan and Abacha recovered loot at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
In a statement, Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, said the funds were released to the Ministry by the Federal Government to execute poverty alleviation programmes, adding that EFCC recent investigation into the affairs of the Ministry has led to the recovery of N32.7 billion and $ 445,000 so far.
This was coming hours after the Federal Government revealed plans to resume the intervention schemes three months after the suspension of the National Social Investment Programme Agency ( NSIPA). The Minister of Information and
National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, had stated this during an interview on Radio Nigeria in Kaduna State on Saturday.
It would be recalled that on January 12, President Bola Tinubu suspended all programmes administered by NSIPA for six weeks, as part of a probe of alleged malfeasance in management of the agency and its programmes. The President had on January 2, suspended Halima Shehu as the CEO of NSIPA and also suspended Betta Edu as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation on January 8.
But yesterday, the EFCC noted that “suspended officials” of the ministry were linked to the fraudulent practice, saying those found wanting will be prosecuted accordingly, adding that the Commission has not cleared anyone allegedly involved in the fraud.
Oyewale said: "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.”