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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday said there is no hiding place for corrupt persons amid the recent arrest suspension and probe of government officials over corruption allegations.

Last Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate suspension and investigation of Ms Halima Shehu, the National Coordinator and CEO of the National Social Investment Program Agency over alleged financial malfeasance.

The EFCC also grilled the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk over an alleged N37.1 billion fraud, as well as her predecessor in office, Betta Edu over alleged Fraud.

“We believe that with the kind of President we have, who is ready and willing to do the right thing, and from what we have seen in recent times and the last 48 hours, it is clear that he has provided the political will and leadership and created the atmosphere for us to work,” the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, said when he received the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja.

“So, there is no hiding place for the corrupt. We must give our best, we must be committed and give the President the support he needs. Nobody is too big to be investigated in this country. Once you are not playing according to the rules, we will investigate you.”

He further noted that the engagement with the ICPC was sending the right signals to the entire country that the anti-corruption agencies are coming together and extending hands of comradeship and fellowship to each other with a mind to work together.

The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, on bail

Leading reporters earlier on Wednesday reported that the passports of Edu and her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, were seized to prevent the duo from fleeing the country as investigations continued into alleged fraud perpetrated by them.

A source in the EFCC told SaharaReporters on Wednesday that Edu was “allowed to leave on bail but would be showing up daily, just like Sadiya who was released on Tuesday but told to continue to come to continue coming to our office pending the investigation on the case”.

Edu is being investigated over the N585 million she directed the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer to a private account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claimed currently serves as the Project Accountant, Grants for Vulnerable Groups, among other fraud allegations involving her office.

A letter from the minister with reference number: FMHAPA/HQ/OHM/S.208 to the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Madein dated December 20, 2023, asked that over N585 million should be sent to a private account.

The letter signed by the minister, Dr Edu, is titled ‘Mandate for Payment of Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun States Respectively’.

It read, “I hereby approve the payment of the cumulative sum of five hundred and eighty-five million, one hundred and eighty-nine thousand, five hundred naira (N585,189,500.00). These are payments for programmes and activities of the Renewed Hope Grant for Vulnerable Groups.”

The details show that N219,429,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom State; N73,828,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Cross River State; N219,462,250.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Lagos State while N72,468,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Ogun State.

The letter said the payment of N585,189,500.00 –the total sum – should be made to a UBA account: 2003682151 belonging to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.

“This payment should be made from the National Social Investment Officer account with account number: 0020208461037 to the Project Accountant’s details listed above,” it added.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, has taken charge of the affairs of the Ministry following the suspension of the minister, Betta Edu.

This development is in line with the directive issued by President Bola Tinubu, who suspended Edu on Monday over her alleged involvement in a N585 million fraud.

The minister has been accused of paying public funds into private accounts.

Leading Reporters gathered that Enitan assumed responsibility of the Ministry after a letter to that effect from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was given to him Monday night.

It would be recall that Tinubu, through his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had ordered the suspended minister to “hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation”.

“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,” Ngelale had said in a statement.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the remand of a former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye, in Kuje Correctional Service.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Agunloye over allegations of fraud in the Mambilla Power Project.

Agunloye was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges read against him.

The judge, however, ordered that the embattled former minister be remanded in pending when bail would be granted.

A new report has revealed how a conflict between Betta Edu and Halima Shehu within Nigeria’s Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry brought to light alleged fraudulent activities.

According to insider sources, the recent suspension of Shehu, the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) CEO, over allegations of siphoning a substantial N40 billion from the agency’s funds, kickstarted controversy.

The rift was said to be a power struggle between Minister Edu and Shehu due to disagreements over operational control and financial oversight.

Sources revealed that Edu, suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, made unauthorized withdrawals from NSIPA’s accounts without Shehu’s consent, leading to a breakdown in their working relationship.

In response, Shehu purportedly took drastic measures by relocating the remaining funds from accounts accessible to Edu to those under her control.

She reportedly disclosed the actions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when the anti-graft commission was probing her.

“Typically, the minister is a signatory to the NSIPA account, but she makes withdrawals without letting the NSIPA head know,” the source said.

“Shehu got angry over that, and the only way she thought she could still retain control over her agency was to transfer the remaining balance out of the accounts that Edu had access to.

“She has disclosed to the EFCC the three accounts where she moved the money to,” a source told The Cable.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, has announced that the soldier who insulted Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on social media has been arrested.

Lagbaja disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Enugu state.

Recall that a young soldier, allegedly riding a motorcycle against traffic regulations in Lagos, was apprehended by security personnel attached to the governor’s convoy.

The video triggered angry reactions from some military personnel on social media.

In a video shared on X by one of Sanwo-Olu’s media aides, Wale Ajetunmobi, the COAS said all other videos where insults were hurled at the governor were not from Army personnel.

Expressing deep concern and disapproval, Lt. General Lagbaja emphasized the military’s commitment to upholding discipline and respect for civil authorities.

He stressed that such behaviour contradicts the values and professionalism expected of the Nigerian Army.

The Chief of Army Staff assured that the soldier involved in the incident had been apprehended and would face appropriate disciplinary measures in line with military regulations.

He reiterated the military’s stance on maintaining cordial and respectful relations with civilian authorities.

His words: “I want to say that the soldier that was apprehended by the governor of Lagos state for plying one way does not represent the Nigerian Army.

“Because, in every respect, he contravened what we stand for, which is discipline as an Army, and it contravenes the constitution and the laws of Lagos. So, we frown at that as an Army.

“But for what you alleged that soldiers have gone to social media casting aspersions on the person and the office of the governor, it is only one soldier that has done that. The Army has investigated, that soldier has been apprehended and we are investigating.

“For every comical act that you have seen on social media, they are not personnel of the Nigerian Army.”

The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has expressed his sense of betrayal by his principal, Godwin Obaseki, for not backing his candidature in the upcoming 2024 governorship election.

Shaibu, who claims he was persuaded to be the deputy governor to Obaseki, said he added value to Obaseki’s government in terms of political structure and his finances.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday morning, Shaibu said he was hurt that Obaseki is supporting an outsider instead of him.

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) intends to clear outstanding payment owed to its Front-End Partners(FEPs) for a period of 2 years within the first quarter of 2024.

The New Director General of the Commission, Engineer Abisoye Coker-Odusote who gave this assurance in a statement issued in Abuja also expressed her sympathy with the FEPs who have been burdened with running their businesses for 2 years without payment.

She said: “The National Identity Management Commission, under my leadership has conducted a revalidation exercise to review the outstanding payments which the new management inherited with a view to offsetting the debt after going through due audit process to validate the claims made by the FEPs.

“In the process, we found out that some of the invoices submitted by the FEPs did not tally with the enrolment figures shown on the database thus prompting the revalidation exercise to confirm the true and accurate enrolment information.

“Notwithstanding, we are wrapping up the audit process, and the activation of the FEPs will be done according to the outcome of the validation exercise.

“We sympathise with our partners over the delay and appeal for understanding especially as the new NIMC management is just a few months in the saddle and had been working on resolving all inherited debts.

“Unfortunately, the previous management could not clear the outstanding dues because of lack of funds but we are working hard to source for the funds to clear the debt.

“I therefore use the opportunity to reiterate that the revalidation exercise was aimed at sanitizing the system as well as ensuring efficient and effective enrolment processes in line with international best practices of securing citizens’ data.”

The Commission assured concerned Nigerians that payment will be made to the Front-end Partners in the first quarter of 2024 and added that there are plans to hold a stakeholders engagement summit this month.

No fewer than 11 persons, including five children, have been drowned when a fishing boat they were travelling in capsized along the Andoni-Bonny waterways in Andoni local government area of Rivers State on Tuesday.

LeadingReporters gathered that the incident occurred when the boat, which was carrying 25 passengers, was hit by a heavy wave, forcing it to break into two parts.

A source told our Correspondent that there was no rescue team as at the time of the accident, to assist the passengers swim to safety, adding that by the time rescue came, 11 passengers had already drowned while 14 others were rescued.

He stated that already, three corpses had been recovered while efforts were on to recover the remaining eight corpses.

Confirming the ugly development, the chairman of Andoni local government area council, Hon. Erastus Awortu, said most of the victims of the boat mishap were from Ngo Town, Ataba, Isiama and other communities in the LGA.

Awortu, in a statement made available to journalists in Port Harcourt, said the situation was being monitored to offer further support especially to give the survivors necessary medical attention and recover the remains of the dead from the sea.

He promised to do whatever it takes within his powers to reduce the burden of grief of the bereaved families and the affected communities.

Suspended humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister Betta Edu says her hands are clean, and she is committed to fighting corruption amid uproar on her illegal request to wire funds into a private account.

Ms Edu made this statement in a Facebook post she addressed to Npower beneficiaries.

“Dear Npower Beneficiaries, I want to assure you all to remain calm and steadfast amidst the recent accusations and suspension I am facing. My heart and hands are clean, and I am committed to fighting corruption,” Ms Edu said.

She added, “It’s essential to be aware that some individuals with impure intentions may use government machinery against you. Stay strong, and together, we will navigate through these challenges.”

Her comments came after President Bola Tinubu suspended her for requesting the accountant-general of the federation wire N585 million into a private account, a fund meant for the public to alleviate poverty in some states.

Citing a leaked memo, Leading reporters reported how Ms Edu wrote the office of the accountant-general, demanding that N585 million earmarked to reduce poverty of vulnerable citizens in Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Lagos, and Ogun be paid into the UBA account — 2003682151— of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.

Ms Edu admitted authoring the memo requesting that N585 million be paid into a private account but claimed that the allegation came from forces against her.

The accountant-general, Oluwatoyin Madein, said Ms Edu flouted financial regulations by requesting funds be wired into a private account.

“Mrs Madein explained that although her Office received the said request from the ministry, it did not carry out the payment. The (humanitarian) ministry was, however, advised on the appropriate steps to take in making such payments in line with the established payment procedure.”