The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered over N30bn from the N37,170, 855,753.44 allegedly laundered in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs under the former minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouk.

Sources in the anti-graft agency, who spoke with our correspondent on Friday, said the commission had also uncovered over N500m from the scam associated with Umar-Farouk’s successor, Betta Edu, who was recently suspended by President Bola Tinubu.

Saturday PUNCH had in December reported that N37,170,855,753.44 was transferred from government coffers and sent to 38 different bank accounts domiciled in five legacy commercial banks belonging to or connected with a contractor, James Okwete.

It was gathered on Friday that N30bn was recovered by the EFCC following the placement of a lien on the bank accounts of Umar-Farouq and Okwete, who are still being grilled by the anti-graft agency’s investigators


The agency is also still grilling Edu in connection with an alleged N17bn fraud, while the suspended Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme, Halima Shehu, is also still being questioned over an alleged N44bn fraud.

An EFCC source revealed, “The commission has now recovered over N30bn from the laundered N37.1bn that was linked to former minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq. We were able to recover the money after we placed liens on the bank accounts of the former minister and the contractor, Mr Okwete, who was linked to the fraud under probe. Both the minister and the contractor are still being grilled by our investigators daily.”

A senior EFCC investigator added, “We have uncovered another N17bn money laundering from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and for the alleged fraud linked to the suspended minister, Betta Edu, we have so far recovered over N500m. Edu is still answering questions about the fraud.

The NSIPA coordinator, Halima Shehu, is still being grilled over the N44bn fraud linked to her at the NSIPA; our investigators aren’t leaving any stone unturned.”

When contacted for comments on the development, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale declined comments.

In another development, the EFCC said it recovered a total of N70,556,658,370.5 between October 2023 and January 19, 2024.

Details of the recovery were outlined in an EFCC document titled, ‘Operations and Recoveries’, which was exclusively obtained by our correspondent.

[/b]The document revealed that in the period under review, the EFCC recovered N60,969,047,634.25, $10,522,778.57, £150,002.10 and €4,119.90, making a total of N70,556,658,370.5.[b]


[/b]It added that the EFCC received a total of 3,325 petitions, accepted 2,657 of the petitions, and secured the conviction of 747 persons for financial crimes ranging from money laundering to Internet fraud in the same period.[b]

[/b]A breakdown of the data shows that the EFCC headquarters alone recovered N49,607,391,330.44, $3,900,200.75, £2,000, and £110.[b]


[/b]The Maiduguri Zonal Command recovered N58,065,870 and $3,370; the Gombe Command recovered N127,323,028.50 and $1,500; while the Kano Command recovered N141,944,451 and $365.[b]

[/b]The Makurdi Command recovered N53,228, 325; Enugu Command, N202,117,000; and $1,950; Uyo Command, N25,299,950 and $710; and Port Harcourt Command, N2,412,247,210.05 and
$5,714,389.21[b]

The Sokoto Command recovered the sum of N100,696,118.72; Kaduna Command, N331,494,710.81, $912, £50, and €1,610; Ilorin Command, N80,280,580.86 and $880; Abuja Zonal Command, N825,928,463 and $10,000; and Ibadan Zonal Command, N135,519,810, $14517, £280, and €500.

The Lagos Zonal Command was said to have recovered N6,826,993,798.78, $868,284.61, £147,672.10, and €1,899.90, while the Benin Zonal Command recovered n49,515,987.09 and $5,700.

Within the same period, the agency said it secured the conviction of 747 persons for offences ranging from money laundering to cybercrimes.

However, the Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, at a dialogue in Abuja on Wednesday, revealed that most of the 747 convictions involved persons who were prosecuted for cybercrime offences.

Meanwhile, the commission has said that it has deepened its probe into money laundering cases involving some high-profile public officials, especially former governors and ministers indicted for fraud


[/b]The total amount involved in the money laundering cases rose to around N130.1bn as of January 31, 2024.[b]

Details of the development were contained in an EFCC document titled, ‘100 Days in Office’, detailing ongoing probes, discoveries, and recoveries made by the commission under Olukoyede.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/efcc-recovers-n30bn-from-humanitarian-ministrys-looted-funds/%3famp

Cc mynd44 lalasticlala seun

Use it and pay wage award to nigerian civil servants and stop owing. Noisemakers

Franklyspeakin:
Use it and pay wage award to nigerian civil servants and stop owing. Noisemakers

I bet to disagree. Better pump money out and work on our bad economy.

Isnt paying covil servants a very simple way to pump money out? While working on the bad economy?. Beg....

TheRareGem1:


I bet to disagree. Better pump money out and work on our bad economy.

Pay Npower Batch C2 their outstanding 8 months stipends from the recovered loot.

EFCC recovered money is heard by d whole world but how do they disburse
Nobody will hear pim again.
Corruption everywhere in d corn3

Make I go drink water to fill belle small

Women loot pass men sha ..

This ministry was just created as conduit pipe for easy looting by politicians..

The loot is distributed from the ministry down to the presidency.

Gbaja have been trying fruitlessly to extricate himself from Betta Edu's doings, but you wonder if the women can actually act alone in this manner.

kokoA:
Women loot pass men sha ..

Betta made us understand they are enablers behind them and that seems logical. These women can't alone in that proportion. Don't be surprised Tunde Sabiu could be Sadiya's enabler. The ministry is another Nnpc.

Buhari created this ministry for the benefit of his northern cabal. Wasn't he rumored to want to marry this chic then? They were all involved in the thievery.

Nigeria has gone to the dogs indeed and only God can redeem the whole system

Money that will be re looted by another set of people!

We’re too kind to ourselves in this country chai

Hmmmm….

Embezzlement of public fund should be named a capital offence

Teacher1776:
Embezzlement of public fund should be named a capital offence

You want political to make law that will kill them?

Good one sai Tinubu

Ogun kee Sadiya Umar-Farouk and Betta Edu

ManirBK:
Good one sai Tinubu

You will never hear Tinubu shout anti-corruption or probe like the other cow Buhari, but he is silently holding the thieves on their neck and forcing them to commit our looted money

APC and Looters are like Birds of the same feathers N30 Billon

PUSSYHOE:


You want political to make law that will kill them?

LOL

Na Ogun go kee those Oloshos. Check the Four major perpetuators, Three of them are cursed women

TapGenic:
Pay Npower Batch C2 their outstanding 8 months stipends from the recovered loot.

NPower does not exist again. It was a fraudulent scheme right from the beginning