Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, on Sunday, urged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Catastrophe Administration, Betta Edu, to cease insulting Nigerians following her claims that the allegations of a N585 million fraud have been baseless.
The embattled minister got here below heavy criticism on Friday after a memo surfaced the place she directed the Accountant-Common of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to switch N585 million to a non-public account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claimed at the moment serves because the Undertaking Accountant, Grants for Weak Teams.
The directions for the fee are contained in a leaked memo dated December 20, 2023.
The PUNCH studies that the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation mentioned on Friday that the N585.18 million grant for susceptible teams in 4 states was accredited and adopted the stipulated due course of of presidency.
Talking on the matter, which has since gone viral, the minister famous that the allegation is a mere fabrication by her detractors, who search to frustrate her efforts in her struggle towards corruption and uplifting the needy.
However Falana in a press release on Sunday mentioned that whereas the Minister has not denied that she accredited the “fee of the over half a billion Naira to a non-public account in contravention of, the extant Public Service Guidelines in addition to the Impartial Corrupt Practices and Different Offences Act and the Penal Code relevant within the Federal Capital Territory,” she refused to, “apologise to the Federal Authorities and folks of Nigeria and calling it quits for betraying the boldness reposed in her, the Minister has arrogantly mentioned that the N585.18 million fraud allegation is a mere fabrication by her detractors and an alleged try by mischief makers to undermine her ministry’s effort in preventing corruption and uplifting the needy.”
Talking additional, Falana famous that although the Accountant-Common of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, has efficiently annoyed the legal diversion of the mentioned sum of N585.18 million from the general public treasury, it’s crystal clear from the leaked memorandum of the Minister that the offence of an try to commit a felony has already been accomplished.
“There will be no authorized justification for the legal diversion of the mentioned sum of N585.18 million for disbursement to susceptible folks in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun States for the reason that Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has collated the person financial institution accounts of all of the susceptible folks
“Having regard to the information and circumstances of this extraordinarily embarrassing drama, we commend the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee for the restoration of the sum of N37 billion meant for susceptible folks in Nigeria.
“We additionally name on the Fee to hurry up the continuing investigation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs with a view to charging all indicted individuals earlier than the Excessive Courtroom of the Federal Capital Territory as quickly as doable,” the Falana mentioned.