Betta Edu: EFCC recovers N30bn, investigates 50 bank accounts

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has so far recovered N30 billion in the ongoing probe of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.

The Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, disclosed this in the March edition of the commission’s monthly e-magazine, EFCC Alert, released on Monday.

He said the commission had also placed 50 bank accounts under investigation over alleged fraud that involved the suspended Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Authority (NSIPA), Halima Shehu.

President Bola Tinubu had in January suspended both Edu and Shehu over alleged payment of N585 million in humanitarian funds meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Lagos state, Cross River, and Ogun into a private account.

The President also suspended the social investment programme and, thereafter, asked the EFCC to take over the case and probe the embattled officials.

Olukoyede said the commission was making progress on the investigation.

READ ALSO: BETTA EDU: No sacred cow as Tinubu won’t spare anyone —Presidency

He said: “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, the commission is investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money to.

“That is no child’s play. That’s a big deal. And again, we have thousands of other cases that we are working on.

“Nigerians have seen the impact of what we have done so far by way of some people being placed on suspension and by way of the recoveries that we have made. You have seen that the programme itself has been suspended.”

The chairman said the commission was exploring so many discoveries it had stumbled upon in its investigation.

“If it is about seeing people in jail, well let them wait, everything has a process to follow.

“So, Nigerians should wait and give us the benefit of the doubt,” Olukoyede stated.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now