Cash Scandal: Suspended Minister, Betta Edu Not In Our Custody — EFCC Source

The suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, who was suspended from office by President Bola Tinubu is yet to be summoned and questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Vanguard learnt on Monday.

The development is at variance with claims by some reports that Edu, who was suspended on Monday morning by the President had already landed at the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja for interrogation.


But findings by Vanguard indicate that although she had been suspended EFCC was yet to invite her for probe as directed by the Presidency over the alleged N585 million cash meant for payment to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom State and others.

A competent source told Vanguard that they were in the process of inviting Edu to the EFCC to answer questions on the alleged scam.

“We are in the process of inviting the suspended minister to answer questions on the cash. It is not true that she is already in our custody,” a competent EFCC source told Vanguard on Monday.

But the Spokesman for the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached for confirmation of the development.

It will be recalled that early on Monday morning, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, had announced Edu’s suspension by the president.

Ngalele said, “In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect,” the statement read.

President Tinubu had earlier on Sunday ordered a comprehensive probe into the alleged N585m scandal in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and promised to “decisively punish” those involved in any breaches and infractions unravelled during the investigations.

The minister has however denied any wrongdoing, saying that the N585m payment was meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states and defended the action, saying that it was legal within the civil service for such payments to be made into private accounts of staff members, especially project accountants.