EFCC urged to present report on humanitarian affairs ministry scandal

The Transparency Network has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conclude its investigations into the allegations that rocked the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in early 2024, leading to the exit of Dr Betta Edu as minister and other senior officials of the government. The group in a statement alleged that the […]

The Transparency Network has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conclude its investigations into the allegations that rocked the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in early 2024, leading to the exit of Dr Betta Edu as minister and other senior officials of the government.

The group in a statement alleged that the suspense in the investigations, nearly two years after the alleged scandal broke, has left a cloud of suspicion over many other career civil servants and politicians who, it claimed, suffered collateral damage on account of the alleged scandal.

The group, in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Imman Onyi, stated that the delay in releasing the report meant that the cloud of suspicion on the suspended officials remains.

“It’s unfortunate that nearly two years after this saga came to light, the result of the investigations has yet to be made public. We do not believe that the EFCC, with its capacity and the evidence made available to it during the investigation, has not come to a conclusion on the culpability of the real perpetrators.

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“The continuing delay puts a cloud on many individuals who were initially fingered but who have not been formally exonerated following the investigations. This does not give confidence to the anti-corruption fight of the government and it is on this basis that we call on the EFCC to immediately bring the report of its investigations to light so that the country can get a bearing on those who were directly responsible for the alleged scandal,” the group said.

“We are particularly conscious of the former executive secretary of the NSIPA, Halima Shehu and her subordinates whose cases have remained hanging in the face of the dithering procrastination of the EFCC in presenting its report on the alleged scandal,” it added.