Betta Edu: EFCC extends probe to banks, CEOs hand over documents

In an attempt to dig deep into the alleged N585.1 million fraud allegedly perpetrated by the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, extended its probe to three commercial banks, where the accounts of the ministry are domiciled.

Edu, who arrived the EFCC headquarters since Tuesday morning was still there as of time of this report.

President Bola Tinubu, following public  outcry on the alleged fraud, on Monday, suspended Edu and directed the EFCC to “conduct a thorough investigation into the aspect of financial transactions involving her and other agencies under her.”

Apparently working as directed by President Tinubu, the EFCC, it was gathered, wrote the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of three bankers of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry.

Nigeria Tribune gathered that the CEOs “were not arrested, but were only asked to bring documents based on the accounts operated by the ministry in the banks.”

The three banks chiefs were said to be at the anti-graft agency’s office to hand over the required documents.

Meanwhile, Betta Edu was at the commission’s headquarters on Tuesday morning.

“An official invitation by the commission was sent to her on Monday and she honoured the invitation on Tuesday. She is being interrogated by the commission and she is expected to give proper insight into the issue at hand,” a source said.

The source added that the former Minister of Social Development, Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouk, was still being interrogated by the EFCC.

According to the source, the former minister was released on Monday night, but she returned to the EFCC on Tuesday for further interrogation.

Umar-Farouk is being investigated over a staggering N37.1 billion allegedly laundered by officials of the ministry during her tenure as minister.

The source also added that Hajiya Halima Shehu, the suspended National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, was still undergoing investigation at the EFCC.

Shehu was responsible for overseeing the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme initiated by former president, Muhammadu Buhari, to give succour to vulnerable groups and individuals.