SUSPENDED Nationwide Coordinator and Chief Govt Officer (CEO) of the Nationwide Social Funding Programme Company (NSIPA), Hajia Halima Shehu,is within the custody of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC).
Shehu, who was mentioned to have been purportedly suspended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday, although there is no such thing as a official assertion to that impact, was mentioned to have been taken to EFCC headquarters at Jabi, Abuja, by operatives of the anti-graft fee Tuesday night.
A dependable supply on the fee disclosed that operatives had stormed her workplace at Maitama, Abuja, to conduct a search after which she was requested to comply with them to the EFCC headquarters the place she was subsequently detained for questioning.
The supply, who most well-liked to be nameless, knowledgeable that the detention of the NSIPA boss won’t be unconnected with the continuing investigation of the rapid previous Minister of Humanitarian and Catastrophe Administration and Social Improvement, Hajia Sadiyya Umar Farouq.
Umar Farouq, who served within the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, is being investigated by the anti-corruption fee over an alleged cash laundering to the time of N37,170,855,753.44.
The previous minister, who was the pioneer minister within the ministry, created by the Buhari administration, was alleged to have laundered the cash by means of a contractor, one James Okwete.
The EFCC supply knowledgeable that Okwete was additionally in EFCC custody and had made helpful statements on the previous minister and a few Administrators-Basic of a number of the businesses beneath the Humanitarian Ministry.
The supply added that the N37.1billion was allegedly transferred from the coffers of the Federal Authorities to completely different financial institution accounts belonging to Okwete.
Umar Farouq has, nevertheless, denied any hyperlink with the mentioned contractor, who she said she by no means labored with in any manner.
The previous minister said in a tweet on her X deal with (previously Twitter) that Okwete neither labored for her nor represented her in any manner in any way.
She described the contractor’s linkage to her particular person as “spurious”, stating that she was able to defend her stewardship each time she was referred to as upon to take action.
It’s learnt that Umar Farouq has been invited by EFCC to seem earlier than it tomorrow (Wednesday).