The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has identified some banks that are complicit in the elaborate corruption perpetrated at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
The commission said it is investigating “a system and intricate web of fraudulent practices” involving banks and their managing directors, as well as “past and suspended officials of the Humanitarian Ministry”.
“Managing Directors of the indicted banks have made useful statements to investigators digging into the infractions,” the statement issued by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said.
The suspended minister of the ministry, Betta Edu, and her predecessor, Sadiya Farouq, are among key serving and former officials that EFCC has interrogated with respect to the allegations.
In January, President Bola Tinubu suspended Ms Edu from office after a leaked memo triggered controversies about suspicious financial transactions she authorised in her ministry.
According to a report, the scandal included the approval of payment of hundreds of millions of naira into private accounts of civil servants.
Farouq served in former President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. EFCC in January quizzed her over allegations of corruption in the handling of N37.1 billion social intervention funds during her tenure.
EFCC also disclosed on Sunday that its investigations have “yielded the recovery of N32.7 billion and $445,000 so far.”
