The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered N30 billion in the ongoing probe of suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.

EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede disclosed this in the March edition of the commission’s monthly e-magazine, EFCC Alert, released on Monday.

Olukoyede said the anti-graft agency has also placed 50 bank accounts under investigation over alleged fraud that involved the suspended Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Social Investment Programme Authority (NSIPA), Halima Shehu.

President Bola Tinubu had, in January,  suspended both Edu and Shehu over the alleged payment of N585 million humanitarian funds meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Cross River, and Ogun states into a private account.

Tinubu also suspended the Social Investment Programme and, thereafter, asked the EFCC to take over the case and probe both embattled officials, including anyone involved.

Olukoyede, however, said the anti-graft agency was making progress on the investigation, emphasising the magnitude of the case and the need for Nigerians to exercise patience.

EFCC grills suspended minister Edu over N585m fraud

He said: “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, the commission is investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money to.

“That is no child’s play. That’s a big deal. 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.”

The EFCC boss further stated that the commission was exploring many discoveries that it had stumbled upon in its investigation.

Olukoyede added: “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.”

The Star