The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has tracked N30 billion, of the N44 billion moved from the accounts of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, (NSIPA).
The multiple accounts to which the funds were moved by some NSIPA officials have been frozen by the anti-graft agency as part of an ongoing probe. It was learnt that the N44 billion was suspiciously moved from NSIPA’s accounts into private and corporate accounts linked to those serving as fronts.
Recall that some of the officials of the agency have been undergoing investigation. For hours on Wednesday, EFCC interrogators grilled the suspended National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the agency, Halima Shehu.
The anti-graft Commission also arrested NSIPA’s immediate-past Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA), Bwai Adamu Hamza, who retired from the agency in December. According to the investigation, Hamza was picked up to clarify the movement of the cash under his watch. Shehu and Hamza were said to have “worked closely” in the agency.
It was gathered that Shehu and Hamza were subjected to interrogation on Wednesday by a special team.
Former Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development minister, Sadiyya Umar-Farouq, failed to honour the EFCC invitation to appear for interrogation. She also did not send any message on why she did not turn up and officials designated to interrogate her waited in vain. The EFCC invited Umar-Farouq over the alleged laundering of N37, 170,855,753.44 during her tenure through a contractor, James Okwete. The former minister denied the allegations.
There were strong indications that having failed to turn up without explanation, the former minister might be declared wanted by the EFCC.
Investigations showed that the ongoing probe of NSIPA assumed a new dimension following the discovery that the total cash taken out of the agency’s vaults was N44 billion. But, after tracking the movement of the cash, the EFCC recovered and froze the N30 billion it traced to multiple accounts.
According to reports, as of Tuesday, the agency had intercepted and seized N17 billion. Within 24 hours, the Commission traced and froze an additional N13 billion in some accounts, raising the cash seized to N30 billion. Detectives were still profiling many accounts last night to uncover the balance of N14 billion. A source, who spoke in confidence, said the EFCC Executive Chairman. Ola Olukoyede was personally leading the probe.
As of press time, the Commission had arrested Hamza in connection with the action.
On Umar-Farouq’s connection with the matter, her accuser, Okwete was in EFCC’s custody yesterday awaiting her arrival for a face-to-face interrogation. “We will give her some grace and if she does not honour our invitation, the EFCC will have no choice but to declare the ex-minister wanted”, the Commission stated.
