The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has made significant progress in its ongoing probe of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and others involved in the National Social Investment Programme Authority (NSIPA).
According to Ola Olukoyede, the executive chairman of EFCC, the agency has recovered N30 billion for the Federal Government and has placed 50 bank accounts under investigation in connection with the case.
Edu and the former CEO of NSIPA, Halima Shehu, were suspended about three months ago by President Bola Tinubu over alleged financial misconduct.
Following their suspension, the President directed the EFCC to take over the case and investigate all individuals involved.
Olukoyede emphasized the magnitude of the case and the need for patience from Nigerians, stating that investigations take time to conclude.
Olukoyede spoke in the March edition of the commission’s monthly e-magazine, EFCCAlert.
His words: “With respect to this particular case, we have recovered over N30 billion, which is already in the coffers of the Federal Government.
“It takes time to conclude investigations; we started this matter less than six weeks ago. There are cases that take years to investigate. There are so many angles to it. And we need to follow through with some of the discoveries that we have seen.
“Nigerians should give us time on this matter; we have professionals on this case and they need to do things right. There are so many leads here and there.
“As it is now, we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into. That is no child’s play. That’s a big deal. Then you ask
about my staff strength. And again, we have thousands of other cases that we are working on.
“Nigerians have seen the impact of what we have done so far, by way of some people being placed on suspension and by way of the recoveries that we have made. You have seen that the programme itself has been suspended.
“We are exploring so many discoveries that we have stumbled upon in our investigation. If it is about seeing people in jail, well let them wait, everything has a process to follow. So Nigerians should wait and give us the benefit of the doubt.”
