₦airaland Forum

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has seized the passports of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, over the ongoing investigations into scandals in the ministry.

Edu, who arrived at the EFCC headquarters, Abuja at 10am on Tuesday, was still being quizzed by the commission’s investigators as of the time of filing this report at 7pm.

As the EFCC interrogated the suspended minister over the N44bn fraud uncovered in the ministry, it was learnt that managing directors of three commercial banks were also questioned on Tuesday over the fraud.

The scandal involving Edu burst open after a leaked memo revealed that the suspended minister directed the Accountant-General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer N585m to a private account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claimed currently serves as the Project Accountant, Grants for Vulnerable Groups.

The minister had claimed that the N585m payment was meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states, describing the allegations against her as baseless.

The Media Assistant to the minister, Rasheed Olarewaju, said in a statement that it was legal within the civil service for such payments to be made into private accounts of staff members, especially project accountants.

In deference to public pressure, the President on Monday suspended Edu and directed her to hand over to the permanent secretary in the ministry.


On Tuesday, Edu honoured the EFCC invitation and she was subjected to marathon interrogation by investigators.

It was learnt that her personal and official passports were taken away by detectives and she was barred from travelling out of the country.

Passports seized

Her predecessor, Umar-Farouq, had been quizzed by investigators for 12 hours on Monday in connection with the probe into the N37.1bn allegedly laundered during her tenure in office, through a contractor, James Okwete.

The ex-minister’s passport was also seized as part of her bail conditions before she was subsequently released late Monday night.

An impeccable EFCC source said the passports of Edu and the former minister were seized to deter them from fleeing the country while the investigation subsists.

“The commission has seized the passports of the two ministers, Sadiya Shehu and Betta Edu. We have also seized Mrs Halima Shehu’s passport pending the conclusion of investigations. The commission does not want to risk having any of them leave the country while they still have questions to answer,” the source said.

The lawyer to the former minister, Dipo Okpeseyi, SAN, could not be reached for comment on his client’s ordeal as he did not respond to phone calls. He also did not respond to a message seeking his comment. Also, efforts to get Edu did not succeed

The PUNCH could not immediately confirm whether she was released on Tuesday night.

Apart from Edu, Ms Halima Shehu, the National Coordinator and CEO of the National Social Investment Programme, an agency under the humanitarian ministry, had been similarly suspended indefinitely over alleged financial misappropriation.

Shehu had been arrested and questioned by the EFCC in connection with the movement of N44bn from the NSIPA account to some suspicious private and corporate accounts within the last four days in December 2023.

The huge sum was reportedly moved without presidential approval.

As part of her bail conditions, Shehu has been reporting to the EFCC office every day to assist investigators.

Before her appointment, Shehu worked as the National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme under former President Muhammadu Buhari.


Top EFCC sources confirmed the probe of the senior bank executives to our correspondent on Tuesday.

An impeccable EFCC source revealed that the banks were deeply involved in the fraud under investigation.

The source revealed, “The MDs of the banks were grilled by our interrogators at the EFCC headquarters on Tuesday. They were invited and are being probed in connection with the uncovered N44bn fraud and the N585m involving Halima Shehu and Betta Edu.

“The suspended minister and the coordinator have both given new revelations during their interrogations, and the investigation is still ongoing.’’

Giving his opinion on the unfolding scandals, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accused the All Progressives Congress of using the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and poverty alleviation as a cash cow for successive governments.

Atiku said the suspension of the minister, Edu, was commendable, but not enough.

Atiku in a statement by his Special Assistant, Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Tuesday, described it as unfortunate that a programme that was designed to lift over 100 million Nigerians out of extreme poverty had allegedly become a cash cow for successive APC governments.

He said, “While Tinubu deserves commendation for suspending Edu, we believe this is a belated move. Firstly, he had no business appointing her as a minister of such a sensitive ministry in the first place. Tinubu put politics ahead of competence, hence this scandal.

“What experience did Betta have in the development sector? How was Imaan Ibrahim, with her wealth of experience, overlooked? How did the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, stand as Betta Edu’s referee during her clearance at the Senate?”

Atiku who called for reform of the Ministry, alleged that it was not only Edu that was involved in the transactions.

“Betta Edu should not be the fall guy. Others who have remotely and wickedly benefitted from money that was meant for poor Nigerians ought to be fished out, probed, and prosecuted too. It is demonic and tendentiously wicked to steal in the name of the poor, he stated.

The statement read in part, “There is a need for the government to reform the humanitarian affairs ministry and other interventionist programmes that had become an ATM and POS for those in power.

“He noted that the fact that the previous Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, was also being probed for N37bn fraud was evidence that immediate and urgent actions need to be taken to reform the ministry.

“Even during the COVID-19 lockdown, Umar-Farouq continued to implement the school feeding programme. She ridiculously claimed that the food would be delivered to the students at home since schools were shut.


“Today, Betta Edu claims that over three million households got N20,000 each during the Yuletide. Sadly, there is no evidence of millions of Nigerians getting such money. This shows that money has just been going into private pockets.

“The scandal that we are contending with is not about Betta Edu, nor about Halima Shehu, or any other rogue element for that matter. It is about a problem of systemic corruption through which the APC continues to bleed the treasury, ironically, asphyxiating the poor and vulnerable segment of the country, all in the name of caring for them.

“The APC has weaponized poverty and hunger to control the minds of the vulnerable masses, and it is even worse that they have devised a method to use poverty as an instrument of official corruption.”

APC slams Atiku

Reacting, the APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, cautioned the former vice president against jumping to conclusions, noting that Edu is not guilty until the allegations against her are proven.

He berated Atiku and the PDP, saying they faced more corrupt allegations than Edu and the APC.

Ibrahim stated, “Atiku, from his record, it was said somewhere that he read elementary law. And if indeed he read law at whatever level, even if it is a kindergarten level, ought to know that the presumption of the law on an accused is that he is innocent until proven guilty.’’


The APC official noted that the way President Tinubu responded to the allegations showed that ‘’he is a president that listens to the yearnings of Nigeria and that will act by the provision of the law.’’

He added, “At the stage, we are now, a thorough investigation has been directed; it will be wrong for anyone to jump to the conclusion that there is theft or that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is a conduit that is made to siphon public funds for APC governments.

“If it is, the investigations will not have been directed, and the government would not have acted swiftly and appropriately it did.”

On the allegation that the APC is a corrupt party, Ibrahim clarified, “If you say because a few people in the APC who are accused of wrongdoing are to limit wrongdoings to the APC, then, one is not being fair to the composition of parties.”

He continued, “In Nigeria, and I am sure like in other countries of the world, there is no party that is composed of saints, there is no party that can beat its chest and say its members are infallible.

“What is important is to see that the party they belong to has the willingness, the desire, and the courage to call them to order when they go wrong. The APC and the President of the country, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have demonstrated that willingness.

“If on the basis of allegations you will jump to conclusion, the PDP will not be in a position to talk because ever since the formation of the party in Nigeria, there has not been any party that has faced allegations of corruption like the PDP.”


In a related development, the PDP has asked the President to suspend and investigate the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over his alleged involvement in a N438m contract awarded by Edu.

Tunji-Ojo had denied involvement in the consultancy contract awarded to New Planet Project Limited, a company in which he was a former director.

The minister explained that he resigned as a director of the firm in 2019.

But the opposition party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, Tuesday asked the President to take immediate action “to protect the resources meant for the wellbeing of poor Nigerians from further plundering by suspending the Interior minister over the alleged fraud and hand him over to the EFCC for investigation like his suspended counterpart.’’

Interior minister


Meanwhile, Tunji-Ojo has dismissed reports claiming he was summoned to the Presidential Villa over allegations of involvement in the humanitarian ministry scandal.

Rather, the minister said he was at the State House to brief President Tinubu on the outcome of the recently launched online passport portal.


Tunde Alao, the media aide to the minister, in a statement on Tuesday, said Tunji-Ojo’s visit to Aso Rock was to keep an earlier scheduled meeting with the president, stressing that he was not summoned as speculated.

“The minister only visited Aso Rock to keep an earlier scheduled meeting with President Tinubu. The sensational social media headline that says the minister was summoned to Aso Rock was quite misleading and should be discountenanced by Nigerians,’’ he said.

Also, a former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, has commended President Bola Tinubu on the suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.

Shekarau commended Tinubu in an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday.

sonature1:
Oga, stop making a needless argument.

That man is doing the lord's work.

He's not going anywhere.

cpu2006:
the best Minister so far in Tinubu cabinet. he is doing well. i pray he is not part of this scandal. but, if he is among them, then then then & then :'(

Several traders and farmers in Kebbi State have raised concerns about alleged extortion by security operatives during the transportation of grains.

They expressed dismay over the exorbitant cost of N600,000 required to move a truckload of grains through checkpoints manned by various Nigerian security forces.

These security operatives include the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian Customs, and the Nigerian Immigration.

Tukur Muhammad, Secretary of Amana Farmers and Grains Suppliers, spoke to journalists in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, at the weekend, highlighting the alarming situation, particularly along Bagudo in the Bagudu Local Government Area.

He disclosed that marketers are compelled to pay N1000 for each 100kg bag of any grain.

He attributed the escalation in food prices and essential commodities to the extortion practised by security operatives in the area.

“At Tsamiya Market, a grain supplier loading a truck with 600 bags of maize or millet has to endure extortion of not less than N600,000 to reach Argungu and Birnin Kebbi,” said Muhammad.

“We pay N1000 per 100kg bag of grains loaded in trucks, and N500 for a bag on a motorcycle. Even when carrying nothing on a motorcycle for a market visit, an extortion fee of N300 is demanded.”


Muhammad noted that despite traders being blamed for high commodity prices, it’s the extortion that significantly contributes to the hikes.

Echoing similar sentiments, Rabi’u Mainasara, Chairman of the association, lamented the pervasive extortion tactics along the Bagudu-Tsamiya route, with approximately 44 checkpoints where traders and farmers are obligated to pay varying sums.

These checkpoints involve personnel from various agencies, such as the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Mainasara appealed to the state and federal governments, as well as the heads of relevant security agencies, to intervene promptly to prevent citizens from resorting to self-help.

Responding to these allegations, SP Nafi’u Abubakar, the police spokesperson in the state, denied awareness of the reported extortion. He assured an investigation into the matter and mentioned efforts taken to address similar incidents in the past along the Bagudu-Tsamiya Road. Abubakar pledged to await feedback from their commander in the area.

pharmagba:
Shebi you went on strike because of LP in Imo state, tell Labour Party to pay you now!

Trending: Nigeria’s fake professors list that turned out to be fake

The media space has been agog with news of a purported list of fake professors currently in some federal, state and private universities nationwide.

The development followed the recent investigative report by a reporter with the Daily Nigerian Newspaper which exposed the activities of degree mills in Benin Republic and Togo.

The reporter, Umar Audu, revealed how he obtained a degree within six weeks and proceeded to participate in the one-year mandatory youth service under the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

Audu, who reached out to the syndicate that specialises in selling degree certificates in December 2022, was issued a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication certificate from the Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologies, Cotonou, Benin Republic in February 2023.

The buzz which followed the investigative report led to the suspension of accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates from the neighbouring West African countries.

However, it didn’t end there. An old news item from 2019 which quoted a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, as saying that the regulatory agency uncovered about 100 fake professors in some Nigerian universities, surfaced again in the media space.

Though Rasheed explained the rationale behind tagging the “Professors” as fake, no list was attached to indicate a breakdown of the institutions with fake professors.

Findings by our correspondent revealed that the trend started on social media on January 6, 2024 when a netizen posted about a story which he read saying, “The 100 Fake Professors story I just read I hope it is not true. If It is, then we are in for a rude shock.”

The individual would later go on to list about 23 Nigerian universities allegedly with fake professors namely;

1. University of Ibadan -11

2. Covenant University -4

3. Obafemi Awolowo University – 8

4. University of Lagos -5

5. University of Nigeria, Nsukka -9

6. Ahmadu Bello University -8

7. Federal University of Technology, Akure – 9

8. University of Ilorin -11

9. University of Port Harcourt – 8

10. Federal University of Technology, Minna -9

11. University of Jos -8

12. Bayero University Kano -20

13. Ekiti State University -15

14. Nnamdi Azikiwe University -10

15. Usman Danfodio University -7

16. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University – 7

17. Federal university of petroleum resources -12

18. Rivers State University -11

19. Michael Okpara University -11

21. Babcock University -9

22. American University -14

23. Redeemers University -9

The post, as of January 9, 2024, has generated over 100,000 impressions. When the creator was questioned on the source of his information, he referred to a 2019 news story by a television station.

A check on the link provided revealed that though the NUC claimed it uncovered 100 fake professors, there was no list attached.

The post led to a buzz with several media organisations ( The PUNCH not included) quoting the list as allegedly emanating from the NUC.

Universities react

Following the reports in the mainstream media, universities were forced to issue rebuttals.

For instance, the University of Lagos, in a statement, described the report as unsubstantiated and urged the public to disregard it.

The management of the University of Ilorin on Sunday also dismissed the claims that 11 fake professors were uncovered in the institution.

This was contained in a statement signed by the spokesperson of the university, Kunle Akogun, saying; “We don’t have fake professors and they do not exist in our university.”

Akogun added: “The National Universities Commission had categorically dismissed the information as fallacious fabrication of mischief makers. The commission has dissociated itself from the list that first surfaced in December 2019.

“We deem it expedient to categorically disassociate our institution from the story of the 11 fake professors listed against our university.”

According to him, none of the persons on the list is on the university’s nominal roll, nor had any of them ever had any dealing with the University of Ilorin at any time or in any guise.

Other universities such as the University of Ibadan, Babcock University, Bayero University, Kano, Redeemers University, Ahmadu Bello University, Federal University of Technology, Akure among others have also been forced to issue rebuttal.

NUC reacts

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the NUC noted that it was necessary to issue the disclaimer considering the grave damage that has been caused by the reports of fake professors in the Nigerian University System.

In the statement signed by its acting Executive Secretary, Chris Maiyaki, the commission said it found it unfair to stakeholders that some agents on social and mainstream media would choose a moment Nigerians were awaiting the result of an investigation into the activities of degree mills in neighboring countries to spread “unfounded and baseless” claims about academics in the Nigerian University System.

The statement read, “For the avoidance of doubt, the commission can confirm that it initiated in 2019 a laudable project, with the intent of compiling and publishing a list of full Professors in the Nigerian Universities System through the use of an online portal to collate the requisite data. During the exercise, the NUC found anomalies, such as Associate Professors being listed as full Professors.

“It is essential to also state clearly that the commission, as a responsible Federal Government agency, does not engage in half-baked exercises capable of tarnishing the image of Nigeria and the NUS. That was why the commission deemed it necessary to share the collated data with the Nigerian Universities for the purpose of authentication by the competent authorities as to who qualifies to be a full professor.

“Based on the verified data, the commission then in a landmark accomplishment, first published the list of full Professors who participated in the exercise in 2019. It was understood that this would be succeeded by a continuous process of updating the list of full Professors. It is important to state at this point that all the issues pertaining to the 2019 verification of full Professors in Nigerian Universities were concluded in 2019.

“Since then, the commission has entrenched a more reliable system of generating the list of full Professors in the NUS. The commission is also conscious of the fact that some of the academics not captured in the 2019 exercise may now have matured and progressed to become full Professors; this being the reason why it continuously updates the list of full Professors in the NUS.

“The National Universities Commission questions the rationale behind recycling this stale 2019 news of an activity it initiated, conducted and laid to rest in the same year. The purpose and objective of resurrecting in 2024 (more than four years later) this-no-longer-fresh news, is clearly intended to generate unnecessary controversy at an unsuitable time, whilst lacing it with a false list of fake Professors.

“The National Universities Commission owes it a solemn duty to protect and guard the integrity of the many hardworking and committed academics in the NUS, who have earned national and international respect and recognition. Therefore, the Commission has been saddled with the vital and strategic responsibility by its enabling laws, to uphold the sanctity of quality in all aspects of our University Education delivery.

“The commission wishes to use this medium to advise government officials at all levels, members of the NUS, the international community, and the public, to please disregard these items of fake and stale news which have long been laid to rest in 2019.

“All information concerning the role of the NUC in the regulation of the NUS can be found on our official website www.nuc.edu.ng. Further enquiries can also be made via the commission’s official email address: info@nuc.edu.ng.”

victorazy:
My brother me wey dey correct you no sabi o!

victorazy:
Na because of Obi you couldn't even make a correct sentence. Agbaya!

seunmsg:
🤣🤣🤣

Just answer the simple question and stop dodging. Point out the conflict of interest to me please, I’m really interested.

seunmsg:
Can you explain to me how the company bidding for contact in federal ministry of humanitarian affairs will create a conflict of interest for the minister of interior who has no role to play on the procurement process of ministry of humanitarian affairs? Make it make sense please.

Tareq1105:
It would not except if the contract is from the Ministry of Interior where he's a minister.

Richtaiwo:
About 99% of Obi praise singers are the same. I mean the English. Personally, I still don't know what is much about Obi, considering his performance as a governor. Agulu community members are currently protesting because of Obi failed promise. The hospital in Agulu is now a breeding ground for reptiles, so they said.

seunmsg:
Who do you mean by resigning as a shareholder?

Odogwuzack:
Did you read where he said he had resigned his directorship in 2019 (with proper documentations) and do not pursue jobs for the company neither is he a signatory to any document?

I'm very sure you saw that part but una agenda must agend.

TimeManager:
Baba, just focus and leave detractors and blackmailers, they must be stupid to think they could bring down every performing minister as they did Betta. By the time DSS starts picking them up one after another, they'd be alright.

-kiss truth!

WhisperedNoise:
Reno's mouth never rests. He must cho cho cho on every matter.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has sued former Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola before a Federal High Court in Osogbo for allegedly causing a faction within the party.

The APC, through its counsel Ayodele Kusamotu, Yemi Akingbade, R.I.O Oloyede and B.J Nwayen, asked the court to declare that the former minister of Interior cannot validly lead suspended party members and other persons associating with them to launch a political, factional and parallel group named Omoluabi Progressives within the party.



APC contended that the said launching of a factional political group or party within the party with the use of the party’s logo, symbol and slogan is considered to have contravened the constitution of Nigeria and party’s constitution.

The party said that Aregbesola has no constitutional power to launch a factional group within the party thereby sought an order of the court to proscribe and prohibit the factional group within APC in Osun.

The party also asked the court to restrain Aregbesola and his supporters from further forming any factional group or any parallel association within the party.

This was contained in suit number: FHC/OS/CS/1/2024 filed before a Federal High Court, Osogbo judiciary Division.

In it, the APC joined the former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and three others including the Independent National Electoral Commission, Hon Rasheed Olalekan Afolabi and Mr Lani Baderinwa.

The relief sought by the plaintiff include, “That the 2nd Defendant cannot validly lead the 3rd-4th defendants who are suspended members of the plaintiff or any other person or persons to for a parallel political association or group within a similar or same name of the plaintiff by using the plaintiff’s logo, symbol and slogan without registration with the 1st Defendant in compliance with the provisions of section 221 and 222 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and provisions of section 75(1)(2)(3) and 79(1)(2)(3)(a)(b)(c) of the Electoral Act 2022.

Benwallt:
I am learning from you

Benwallt:
Who scored f9 parellel in his WAEC and still enter UNN with the same result to study philosophy?

Racoon:
Obasanjo and Yar Addua's suspended erring corrupt ministers in their government.

JohnAOne:
Nooo, you're wrong.

GBAJUE is synonymous with PETER OBI, the loser candidate who came a distant third but claims (without proof) that he was first.

Typical GBAJUE behaviour...

JohnAOne:
Most likely.

GBAJUE himself fit throw way lamba of all kinds to instigate a "revolution", and that could cause problems between Ghana and Nigeria.

So Ghana just wisely cancel the whole thing.

madridguy:
They don’t want him to pollute their citizens!

madridguy:


Upon the arrival of Gbajue and his gbajues crew, Ghana quickly cancel the program to avoid many lie lie stories

I am sure he was bundled out of Ghana like a common thief.

Benwallt:
Can't Obi call both men and resolve whatever differences therein in the interest of the party? This is where his political sagacity is needed. If he can't manage LP successively and get the best out it it then he can't manage Nigeria

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has apologised to the people of Rivers State for imposing his successor, Siminalayi Fubara on them.


Recall that during the 2023 general election, Wike picked Fubara as his anointed candidate for the governorship position in Rivers State.

Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has since fallen out with Fubara.


President Bola Tinubu had stepped in to make peace between the Wike and Fubara.

However, addressing his followers in Rivers at the weekend, Wike admitted he made a mistake by forcing Fubara on the people.

“I’m not to say I’m perfect or that every decision I’ve taken is right. I’m a human,” he said.


“I may have made decisions that may not be palatable to everybody but in my position I was influenced to accept it.

“And you accepted it and it turned out to be bad, pls forgive me. Forgive me,” the minister said.