Reports has revealed that the N37,170, 855,753.44 purportedly laundered at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs under the previous minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered almost N30 billion.
Sources inside the anti-graft agency said that the commission had also unearthed almost N500 million from the scheme involving Umar-Farouk’s replacement, Betta Edu, who was recently suspended by President Bola Tinubu.
In December of last year, Saturday PUNCH revealed that N37,170,855,753.44 had been moved from government funds to 38 distinct bank accounts located in five traditional commercial banks that belonged to or were associated with a contractor named James Okwete.
On Friday, it was learned that the EFCC had collected N30 billion after putting a lien on the bank accounts of Okwete and Umar-Farouq, who are now being questioned by the agency’s investigators for allegations of corruption.
In relation to an alleged N17 billion scam, the agency is also still questioning Edu, while Halima Shehu, the suspended Coordinator of the National Social Investment Program, is also being questioned about an alleged N44 billion fraud.
“The commission has now recovered over N30 billion from the laundered N37.1 billion that was linked to former minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq,” an EFCC source disclosed. After we put liens on the bank accounts of the previous minister and the contractor, Mr. Okwete, who was connected to the scam, we were able to retrieve the money.
(Punch)
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