President Bola Tinubu has suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, with immediate effect, and directed the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, to conduct a thorough investigation into alleged financial improprieties within the ministry.
This development was contained in a statement by Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale.
The suspension comes in the wake of controversy surrounding Edu’s alleged involvement in the approval of N585,198,500.00 to be disbursed into a personal account. A letter purportedly signed by the minister instructed the Accountant General of the Federation to transfer the sum to the account of one Oniyelu Bridget as grants for vulnerable groups in four states.
However, the Accountant General clarified that while the ministry had submitted a request for certain payments, her office did not act on it. Edu, who was the youngest minister in the President’s cabinet before her suspension, denied any wrongdoing and claimed there were plans to tarnish her image.
The EFCC is already probing Edu’s predecessor, Sadiya Farouq, over alleged money laundering during her tenure. The President’s decision to suspend Edu and initiate a comprehensive investigation comes in response to public outrage and calls for accountability.
President Tinubu has instructed the suspended minister to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and fully cooperate with the investigating authorities. Additionally, a panel led by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance will conduct a diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programs, aiming to reform relevant institutions to eliminate institutional frailties and restore public confidence in the initiative.
