President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday approved the suspension of Halima Shehu as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the National Coordinator of NSIPA while Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, the National N-Power Programme manager was appointed in acting capacity as NSIPA National Cordinator/CEO pending the conclusion of the investigation.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale on Thursday confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that her suspension was connected to N37.1 Billion (N37,170,855,753.44) allegedly laundered by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, which was led by former Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouk.
As at when Sadiya Umar Farouq was the Minister, Mrs Shehu was the National Coordinator in charge of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme under the Ministry during the Buhari's tenure
Mrs Shehu has been queried over some of the money that left the ministry’s coffers through her during Buhari tenure and has been released, the EFCC spokesPerson said.
The EFCC invited Umar-Farouk to appear before investigators on Wednesday over an ongoing probe into the N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered during her tenure in office, through a contractor, James Okwete.
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Umar-Farouk has however failed to turn up. Explaining her failure to honour the invitation, she stated that she was not disposed at the moment to appear before the panel of investigators.
In a recent report, Dr Betta Edu, the current Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Socal Development renamed as the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation under the President Tinubu Administration, has been fingered on the diversion of N3Billion within 3 Months in Office.
The Minister in a Statement titled "Re-Betta Edu Fingered In N3bn NSIPA Fraud Scandal; A Tissue of Lies, Spurious Allegation To Divert Anti-Graft Agency’s Attention", signed by her SA on Media and Publicity on Thursday, described the allegation as an attempt by some fifth columnists to drag her into the ongoing investigations of NSIPA scandal by the anti- graft agency.
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The minister stated that there was no time she (Dr. Betta Edu) requested for any fund, needless to mention withdrawal of such amount of money to the tune of N3billion since her assumption of office as the Minister from National Social Investment Programme Agency’s (NSIPA) coffer in the last four months, albeit one month was quoted in the sponsored 'Fake News'.
"Again, let it be known that there was no time, the Ministry not (Dr. Betta) withdrew any fund from the NSIPA account, let alone N3Billion without due diligence, and painstaking approval from the appropriate authorities.
"The Honourable Minister wishes to inform the general public that she has no hand in the current travails of the leadership of the NSIPA, therefore her good name should not be dragged into the ongoing suspension and investigations as approved by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria", the Ministry stated.
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