The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, for questioning over alleged fraud in the handling of ₦37,170,855,753.44 billion social intervention funds during her tenure.
The former Minister, earlier on Monday, announced her arrival on her X handle @Sadiya_farouq, that she had arrived at the headquarters of the EFCC commission to honour its invitation over the probe.
“I have, at my behest, arrived at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to honour the invitation by the anti-graft agency to offer clarifications in respect of some issues that the commission is investigating,” she tweeted.
Recall that agency had earlier grilled Halima Shehu, the suspended National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) being supervised by the ministry.
The commission detained Mrs Shehu after raiding NSIPA’s office in the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, on 2 January. She was held for questioning till the following day when she was released on bail.
Mrs Shehu, who was recently suspended by President Bola Tinubu, was responsible for overseeing the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. She was replaced with Akindele Egbuwalo, in an acting capacity.
The EFCC also summoned Mrs Umar-Farouk for questioning over the case, but she requested a rescheduling of the appointment.
When Umar-Farouq was being linked to one of the the officials at the centre of the alleged scam, she denied any wrongdoing in a tweet.
“I remain proud to have served my country as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with every sense of responsibility and will defend my actions, stewardship and programmes during my tenure whenever I am called upon to do so,” she had posted on X.
As it is now, Umar-Farouk’s successor, Betta Edu, is also caught in a web of a fresh scandal involving N585.2 million.
She has been suspended by President Bola Tinubu.
PremiumTimes
