The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has unearthed a new scandal within the Ministry of Humanitarian and Social Inclusion, revealing a staggering fraud amounting to N17 billion.
This comes amidst ongoing investigations into alleged financial misconduct within the ministry, which initially surfaced with a reported N585 million fraud, leading to the suspension of Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu.
According to sources close to the investigation, EFCC officials were astounded to discover previously unreported cases of fraud linked to the ministry, significantly increasing the scope of the alleged malpractice. The investigators have intensified their efforts, closing in on the matter, and have already interrogated the suspended minister regarding the new findings.
“The commission was surprised to uncover some previously unreported cases of fraud linked to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. The amount for now stands at N17 billion,” stated a source familiar with the investigation. “You will recall that what was reportedly linked to the suspended minister was N585 million; now the figure has risen, and the investigators are closing in on the matter.”
Further inquiries into the affairs of the ministry during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari have also implicated former Minister Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouk and the suspended Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Hajia Halima Shehu. However, Shehu has reportedly been cooperating with investigators, leading to the recovery of N30 billion out of the N37 billion traced to Umar-Farouk.
