January 06, (THEWILL) – The Northern Zero Corruption Coalition has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), to deepen the investigation in the case of the alleged billions of Naira fraud involving former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar and the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Program Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu.
The group in a statement by its National Coordinator, Barrister Shamsu Dandaji, also urged the EFCC not to be coerced into diverting its Investigation on the suspended National Coordinator of National Social Investment Programme, Halima Shehu.
The Group alleged that there is an attempt to implicate the existing Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, who is new in her position and her few months on the Ministerial Jobs and has proven to be transparent and without tribal sentiments.
According to the group, the fact that EFCC had so far uncovered several accounts with stored Billions of Naira, shows that the suspended National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Program Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, is alone in the allegations of the N44.8 billion Fraud.
Shehu was Suspended indefinitely from office by President Bola Tinubu and was arrested by the EFCC operatives in connection with the alleged N44.8 billion fraud that occurred between December 27, 2023 and December 31, 2023.
Dandaji said Halima Shehu served in the position between 2017 and 2022, as National Coordinator. And now as National Coordinator NSIPA.
“Halima Shehu is currently in EFCC custody in connection with the ongoing N44.8 billion fraud and she was part of the Fraud that took place under the former Humanitarian Minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouk.
“Halima was the National Coordinator in charge of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, under the ministry during Buhari’s tenure, and she’s been queried over some of the money that left the ministry’s coffers through her.
“President Tinubu approved Shehu’s immediate suspension and investigation over alleged financial malfeasance, her suspension came less than two months after her appointment’s confirmation by the Senate,” he said.
He said that EFCC and any other Person or Person should know that since her appointment, Betta Edu had been up and doing in vindicating the Government of Tinubu, as one which cares for the well-being of Nigerians.
“For over 15 times, Betta Edu has visited the North with several humanitarian interventions in Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, Plateau, Nasarawa and so many other States, while the South has heard her impact over time,” he said.
The group, therefore, cautioned the EFCC not to allow itself to be used against the serving Minister, who had nothing to do with Halima and her former Minister’s investigation.
Abdullahi Yusuf is a seasoned journalist, communicator and was previously the Deputy Editor-In-Chief and Zonal Manager, News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Jos, where he retired on December 15, 2021
