Nigeria: Tinubu suspends Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu, orders EFCC to investigate her

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect.

The suspension was revealed in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

He said it was in line with Tinubu’s avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians.

The statement said, “The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies thereunder.

“The suspended Minister is hereby directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

“And she is further directed by the President to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.

“Furthermore, the President has tasked a panel that is headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes to conclusively reform the relevant institutions and programmes in a determined bid to eliminate all institutional frailties for the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households and win back lost public confidence in the initiative.

“These directives of the President take immediate effect.”

The embattled minister faced severe criticism on Friday over a memo that went viral directing the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer N585 million to a private account belonging to Oniyelu Bridget. The ministry claimed that Oniyelu currently serves as the Project Accountant for Grants for Vulnerable Groups.

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