The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has successfully retrieved over N30 billion from the alleged embezzlement of funds within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs during the tenure of former minister,Sadiya Umar-Farouk.
According to sources within the anti-graft agency, the recovered sum is part of the N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered through the ministry.
Investigations have revealed that a significant portion of the misappropriated funds, totaling N30 billion, has been traced and recovered, primarily from bank accounts associated with Umar-Farouk and a contractor named James Okwete.
The EFCC’s relentless pursuit of justice has also led to the discovery of over N500 million linked to the tenure of Betta Edu, the successor to Umar-Farouk, who has since been suspended by President Bola Tinubu.
Recent investigations have shown that N37,170,855,753.44 was illicitly transferred to 38 bank accounts across five legacy commercial banks, all connected to James Okwete, a contractor implicated in the scandal.
The recovery process commenced with the imposition of a lien on the accounts of Umar-Farouq and Okwete, who remain under intense scrutiny by EFCC investigators.
Furthermore, the EFCC is actively interrogating Edu over allegations of a N17 billion fraud, while Halima Shehu, the suspended Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme, faces questioning regarding an alleged N44 billion misappropriation.
An EFCC source revealed, “The commission has now recovered over N30bn from the laundered N37.1bn that was linked to former minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq. We were able to recover the money after we placed liens on the bank accounts of the former minister and the contractor, Mr Okwete, who was linked to the fraud under probe. Both the minister and the contractor are still being grilled by our investigators daily.”
A senior EFCC investigator added,“We have uncovered another N17bn money laundering from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and for the alleged fraud linked to the suspended minister, Betta Edu, we have so far recovered over N500m. Edu is still answering questions about the fraud.
“The NSIPA coordinator, Halima Shehu, is still being grilled over the N44bn fraud linked to her at the NSIPA; our investigators aren’t leaving any stone unturned.”
When contacted for comments on the development, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale declined comments.
In another development, the EFCC said it recovered a total of N70,556,658,370.5 between October 2023 and January 19, 2024.
Details of the recovery were outlined in an EFCC document titled, ‘Operations and Recoveries’, which was exclusively obtained by our correspondent.
The document revealed that in the period under review, the EFCC recovered N60,969,047,634.25, $10,522,778.57, £150,002.10 and €4,119.90, making a total of N70,556,658,370.5.
