N585m Fraud: Tinubu Orders EFCC To Investigate Betta Edu’s Ministry

On Monday, President Bola Tinubu gave Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, instructions to look into any financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Up until the President suspended her on Monday, Dr. Betta Edu served as the minister in charge of the ministry.

In addition to suspending her, Tinubu gave the anti-graft agency instructions to look into the dealings of ministries’ agencies.

This was said in a statement sent to the president by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Advisor on Media and Publicity.

According to Gistlover, Edu faced backlash when a leaked memo from December 20, 2023, stated that she had instructed Oluwatoyin Madein, the Accountant-General of the Federation, to transfer N585 million to a private account held by a person named Oniyelu Bridget. The ministry claimed that Bridget was currently working as the Project Accountant for Grants for Vulnerable Groups.

However, Tinubu stated in the Monday statement that he was dedicated to  “uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians”.

The statement read, “In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect.

“The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies thereunder.

“The suspended minister is hereby directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and she is further directed by the President to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.

“Furthermore, the President has tasked a panel that is headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes in a determined bid to eliminate all institutional frailties for the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households and win back lost public confidence in the initiative.

“These directives of the President take immediate effect.”