Financial corruption scandal: Betta Edu breaks silence, reveals what happened

The ongoing financial corruption saga within the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has taken a new twist with the revelation of a document suggesting that Minister Edu Betta disbursed N585,198,500.00 into a personal account.

According to a widely circulated document signed by Edu and directed to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Minister instructed the disbursement of N585,198,500.00 to one Oniyelu Bridget.

The document further indicates that the payment, intended for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states, was deposited into Oniyelu’s account.

In response to these allegations, Rasheed Zubair, the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister, defended the payment, asserting that the N585.198 million grant followed due process.

He clarified that Oniyelu Bridget currently serves as the Project Accountant of Grants for Vulnerable Groups, justifying the payment as legal within civil service norms.

Zubair stressed that the grant, approved for implementation in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, and Lagos states, is part of the Federal Government’s social intervention schemes under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

He clarified, “Oniyelu Bridget is the Project Accountant for GVG from the Department of Finance, and it is legal in civil service for a staff, the project accountant, to be paid and use the same funds legally and retire the same with all receipts and evidence after the project or programme is completed.”

Despite the explanation, the revelation stirred controversy on social media, with Nigerians questioning the legitimacy of a substantial amount of Federal Government funds being transferred to an individual’s account. Public sector financial regulations of 2009 prohibit the payment of public funds to private accounts, as outlined in Section 713 of the law.

This development follows the recent suspension of the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, Halima Shehu, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The suspension, only four days ago, was linked to alleged financial misappropriation, resulting in Shehu’s detention and questioning by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N44 billion fraud.

In the course of the investigation, EFCC froze N30 billion moved from NSIPA’s accounts. Additionally, former Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq was invited by the EFCC over a financial scandal allegedly involving contractor James Okwete.