Alleged Billions of Naira Fraud: Group urges EFCC to deepen investigation on Halima Shehu, Sadiya Faruk

By Muhammad Alhaji

The Northern Zero Corruption Coalition has risen from a Meeting asking the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC not to be coarse into diverting its Investigation on the accused suspended National Coordinator of National Social Investment Program, Halima Shehu.

The Group expressed worry that there is an attempt to implicate the existing Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu, who was new on her position, and her few months in the Ministerial Jobs proved to be so transparent and without tribal sentiments.

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 The group said that the fact that EFCC, has so far uncovered several accounts with stored Billions of Naira shows that the suspended National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Program Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, is alone in the allegations of the N44.8 billion Fraud.

Shehu was Suspended indefinitely from office by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday and was arrested by the EFCC operatives in connection with the alleged N44.8 billion fraud that occurred between 27 December 2023 to 31 December 2023. Even as the former National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Program under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, she defrauded the Government.

The Coalition National Coordinator, Barrister Shamsu Dandaji said in a statement on Saturday that, it is on notice that, Halima Shehu served on the position between 2017 and 2022 as National Coordinator. And now as National Coordinator NSIPA

“Halima Shehu is currently in our (EFCC) custody in connection with the ongoing 44.8 billion fraud and she was part of the Fraud that took place under the former Humanitarian Minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouk.

“Halima was the National Coordinator in charge of the Conditional Cash Transfer Program under the ministry during Buhari’s tenure, and she’s been queried over some of the money that left the ministry’s coffers through her.

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President Tinubu approved Shehu’s immediate suspension and investigation over alleged financial malfeasance, her suspension came less than two months after her appointment’s confirmation by the Senate.

Barrister Shamsu said that EFCC and any other Person or Persons should know that since her appointment, Betta Edu has been up and doing in vindicating the Government of Tinubu as one which cares for the well-being of Nigerians.

He said, “for over 15 times Betta Edu has visited the North with several humanitarian interventions in Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, Plateau, Nasarawa, and so many other States, while the South have heard her impact over time”.

Therefore they cautioned the EFCC in allowing itself to be used against the serving Minister who has nothing to do with Halima and her former Minister investigation.