The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee is presently interrogating Chief Government Officers and Managing Administrators of Zenith Financial institution, Providus Financial institution, and Jaiz Financial institution in reference to the over N44 billion fraud allegedly uncovered within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Our correspondent gathered that the senior again executives are presently being quizzed by EFCC interrogators on the fee’s headquarters, Jabi, Abuja as of 4.55 pm on Tuesday.
The PUNCH reviews that the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, is presently being held and is present process interrogation by the EFCC over ₦585million scandal.
Additionally, Halima Shehu, the embattled Co-ordinator and Chief Government Officer of the Nationwide Social Funding Programme Company domiciled within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is being probed by the EFCC over an alleged ₦44bn fraud.
Confirming the probe of the senior financial institution executives to our correspondent on Tuesday, an EFCC supply revealed that Zenith, Providus, and Jaiz banks are being questioned over the ₦44.5bn fraud uncovered within the ministry involving Edu and Shehu.
The supply stated, “The CEOs and MDs of Zenith Financial institution, Providus Financial institution, and Jaiz Financial institution are presently being grilled by our interrogators right here on the headquarters.
“They had been invited and are being probed in reference to the uncovered ₦44bn fraud and the ₦585million involving Halima Shehu and Betta Edu.
“The suspended minister and the coordinator have each made new revelations throughout their interrogations, and the investigation remains to be ongoing.”
Edu was suspended by President Bola Tinubu on Monday, over an alleged N585m money switch saga.
The suspended minister was invited by the anti-graft company in compliance with Tinubu’s order {that a} complete investigation encompassing her actions within the ministry be carried out, a high supply within the anti-graft fee informed reporters.
The PUNCH reviews that Edu’s predecessor, Sadiya Farouq, was queried by EFCC interrogators on Monday, over allegations that she laundered N37.1 billion whereas serving as a minister in former President Muhammadu Buhari’s cupboard.
Additionally, Shehu was earlier arrested in reference to an alleged ₦44billion cash laundering and had been mandated to report back to the EFCC daily following her launch final Wednesday.
The PUNCH reviews that the NSIPA Coordinator was arrested and brought into EFCC custody Tuesday evening following her suspension.
It was learnt that the ₦44bn was suspiciously moved from NSIPA’s accounts into personal and company accounts linked to individuals serving as fronts.
Confirming her launch from EFCC custody in a phone interview with our correspondent on Thursday, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale stated Shehu has been mandated to satisfy with EFCC interrogators daily because the investigation continues.
Oyewale stated, “Halima Shehu has been launched, however she remains to be answering to our interrogators, and she or he has been mandated to satisfy with investigators daily because the investigation is ongoing.
“Regarding reviews on the ₦44bn and ₦30bn making the rounds, the fee remains to be tracing all of the suspicious transactions, her company was below the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs too.
“There’s some huge cash concerned as a result of the Ministry and businesses are targeted on interventions. Therefore, we will’t put a determine to all the transactions now as a result of the fee remains to be tracing the transactions.”