N17b cash: EFCC detains social investment scheme coordinator, Halima

N17b cash: EFCC detains social investment scheme coordinator, Halima

Few hours after her suspension, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu.

She was still being detained as at press time last night.

The interception and recovery of the cash followed some alleged payments of billions of naira by the agency without presidential approval.

It was learnt that the EFCC might have recommended Halima Shehu’s suspension to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Her suspension, based on preliminary investigation, was to pave the way for an unfettered probe of the infraction.

Operatives of the commission, who were drafted to the National Coordinator’s private office and home, arrested her at about 8pm yesterday.

After searching her home and office, she was taken into custody at about 9pm for interrogation.

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It was also learnt that the EFCC was closing in on a director of the agency, who was allegedly complicit in the huge payments into the suspicious accounts.

But, some crack operatives of the EFCC will today interrogate a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, for allegedly laundering N37, 170,855,753.44 during her tenure through a contractor, James Okwete.

The ex-minister has disowned the implicated contractor.

She might be quizzed today by a team of interrogators.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that following intelligence, the EFCC uncovered “unusual movement of billions of naira” from NSIPA’s account.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The EFCC raised a red flag on the suspicious payments of billions of Naira into some individual and corporate accounts. Preliminary investigation showed that there was no presidential approval for the payment of such humongous funds

“Pre-emptive steps were immediately put in place to track the suspicious funds. So far, about N17 billion has been intercepted and recovered from some accounts by this commission.

“Our team is working round the clock to trace the remaining billions of Naira suspected to have been laundered from the Social Investment cash.”

N17b cash: EFCC detains social investment scheme coordinator, Halima