…EFCC invites Betta Edu less than one hour after suspension
Gwamcee News
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has invited the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, to its headquarters to answer questions over attempt to move N585 million to a private account.
The invite came in less than one hour after her suspension
The invitation follows the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the anti-graft agency to probe the Humanitarian Ministry after he approved her suspension.
According to multiple media reports, the anti-graft agency has invited her to appear for interrogation.
The EFCC was said to have earlier recommended the immediate suspension of the Minister in order to pave way for the ongoing investigation that had been ordered by the President.
A Daily Trust report quoted an EFCC source who said the commission immediately swung into action immediately the President ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged of payment of N585.189 million grant meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states into a private account.
“Our investigation into the alleged payment won’t be thorough if we didn’t recommend the Minister’s suspension. Her suspension will give us liberty to do our job thoroughly as directed by the President.
“An official invitation by the commission has already been sent to her. We expect her to honour the invitation to give proper insight into the issue at hand. So, we expect her to arrive here anytime soon,” Daily Trust quoted an EFCC source.
Also, Former minister of Social Development and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouk arrived the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in compliance with a 72-hour deadline.
The EFCC ordered the Minister to show up for interrogation within 72 hours or risk being declared wanted.
The ex-Minister had earlier officially written to the EFCC and requested for three weeks extension to meet EFCC interrogators over an ongoing probe into the N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered during her tenure in office through a contractor, Okwete. The EFCC rejected her request and gave her three days to either show up for interrogation or risk being declared wanted.
Sadiya confirmed her presence at the EFCC office on her X page.
She wrote: “I have, at my behest, arrived at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to honour the invitation by the anti-graft agency to offer clarifications in respect of some issues that the commission is investigating,” Umar-Farouq tweeted on Monday morning.
It is gathered that operatives of the EFCC led by the chairman, Ola Olukoyede will grill the ex-minister regarding an ongoing investigation into the N37,170,855,753.44 that was purportedly laundered during her time in office through a contractor named James Okwete.
