January 07, (THEWILL) – President Bola Tinubu has directed a thorough investigation to ascertain the accuracy and validity of the allegation of payments made into a private account by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The directive is coming amid public outrage, after a document recently emerged showing that Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, allegedly directed the disbursement of N585,198,500.00 into a personal account.
The instruction for the payment is contained in a leaked letter dated December 20, 2023.
In the letter signed by the Minister and titled: “Mandate for Payment of Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun States Respectively,” Edu instructed the Accountant-General to transfer the sum above to the UBA account of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
While the Accountant-General of the Federation, in a statement on Saturday, said her office declined the Minister’s request, Edu had insisted that she followed due process.
In a first official reaction on Sunday, President Tinubu said he is committed to ensuring that public funds are allocated and utilised effectively and efficiently to address the needs of Nigerians.
The President said the government is determined to unravel the truth as it relates to this matter, and assures that appropriate action will be taken to ensure that any breaches and infractions are identified and decisively punished, in line with the administration’s commitment to public accountability and due process.
The statement read in part: “In light of recent events, the President has directed that a thorough and comprehensive investigation be conducted to ascertain the accuracy and validity of the reported details.
“The government is determined to unravel the truth as it relates to this matter and assures that appropriate action will be taken to ensure that any breaches and infractions are identified and decisively punished, in line with the administration’s commitment to public accountability and due process.
“The public is advised to note, against the backdrop of various unverified narratives circulating on the Internet, that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, under the leadership of Minister Mohammed Idris, is the primary source for verified information about events and actions of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“Only accurate details will be shared with the public. The Ministry is committed to providing timely updates to keep Nigerians informed about the progress of the investigation.
“We urge Nigerians to exercise patience as the investigation unfolds. The government is focused on ensuring a fair and unbiased process, and the findings will be communicated duly and transparently to the public.”
