The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed the uncovering of N30 billion out of the N44 billion diverted from the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) account. The funds were discovered to have been transferred to multiple private and corporate accounts linked to certain individuals, prompting the freezing of these accounts as part of the ongoing investigation.
Several NSIPA officials are under scrutiny, including the suspended National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer, Halima Shehu, who faced extensive interrogation by EFCC investigators. The agency also arrested the former Director of Finance and Accounts of NSIPA, Mr. Bwai Adamu Hamza, who retired from the agency in December.
It was disclosed that the N44 billion was suspiciously moved from NSIPA’s accounts to private and corporate accounts associated with those acting as fronts. The EFCC, led by its Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has been actively pursuing the probe.
Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, was invited by the EFCC for questioning over the alleged laundering of N37,170,855,753.44 during her tenure. However, she failed to honor the invitation, and officials designated for the interrogation waited in vain. There are indications that she might be declared wanted by the EFCC.
The investigation revealed that the total cash taken from NSIPA’s vaults amounted to N44 billion. The EFCC has so far intercepted and seized N30 billion, with ongoing efforts to trace and freeze the remaining N14 billion.
The probe has taken a new turn as EFCC intensifies efforts to uncover the full extent of the financial mismanagement within NSIPA. The agency is tracking the movement of funds and scrutinizing multiple accounts associated with the diversion of funds from the agency.