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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to interrogate the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, over an alleged N37.1 billion fraud.
Umar-Farouk served as minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari from August 2019 to May 29, 2023.
Following a probe into her activities during her tenure, the former minister was invited by the anti-graft agency last week. The investigation focuses on the alleged laundering of N37.1 billion under her watch through a contractor, James Okwete.
She was scheduled to appear before interrogators at the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, at 10:00 am, but as of now, she has not yet appeared, according to an anonymous source familiar with the matter.
The source revealed that some other officials who worked with her have also been invited to shed light on the ministry’s affairs over the last four years.
In a related development, President Bola Tinubu suspended Halima Shehu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA). Akindele Egbuwalo, the National N-Power program Manager, has been appointed in an acting capacity pending an investigation into the activities of the former head of the agency.
While the reason for Shehu’s suspension remains unclear, it is reported that she, too, has questions to answer regarding the operations of NSIPA, which manages critical programs such as N-Power and Conditional Cash Transfer under the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry.
