If there are fears that the Bola Tinubu administration will not fight corruption frontally following the seeming politicization of the arrest and prosecution of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ernest Emefiele, over graft allegation, the latest development in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is an indication that the new government is poised to rid the country of corruption in high places. Without doubt, official corruption has been the bane of successive administrations in the country.
On the eve of 2023 Christmas, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) uncovered N37billion fraud in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs allegedly laundered during the tenure of former minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, under the President Buhari administration. Details of the ongoing probe made available by the EFCC revealed that the money was allegedly transferred from the Federal Government’s accounts to 38 different bank accounts domiciled in five legacy commercial banks belonging to or connected with a certain contractor.
The EFCC document further revealed that “between 2018 and 2023, the said contractor received the sum of N37,170,855,753.44 from the coffers of the Federal Government linked to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
“The monies were sent to 38 bank accounts domiciled in five legacy commercial banks. The suspect transferred N6,746,034,000.00 to Bureau De Change Operators, N540,000,000.00 withdrawn in cash, N288,348,600.00 used to purchase cars, and used N2,195,115,000.00 to purchase choice properties within Abuja and Enugu State,” said the EFCC.
Fifty-three companies were said to be traced to the suspect by the EFCC, who noted that the accused used 47 of the companies to lift Federal Government’s contracts amounting to N27,423,824,339.86. The contractor is also associated with 143 bank accounts in 12 commercial banks in which 134 of the 143 accounts are corporate accounts.
The EFCC investigation also showed that the money received by the contractor from the Federal Government was allegedly misappropriated, for following the receipt of the funds, he allegedly transferred N6,746,034,000.00 to Bureau De Change Operators, withdrew N540,000,000.00 in cash, purchased luxury cars with N288,348,600.00, and bought luxury houses in Abuja and Enugu State with N2,195,115,000.00.
It must be pointed out that the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs serves as the parent ministry to eight agencies, including the National Social Investment Office, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internationally Displaced Persons, among others. The alleged graft, according to the anti-graft commission, occurred during the spell of Umar-Farouq as the pioneer Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
In 2020, EFCC’s sister agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission said it uncovered N2.67billion meant for the ministry’s school feeding programme in private bank accounts. The commission’s former chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, disclosed that the body uncovered N2.67billion in personal accounts, being payment made to some federal colleges for school feeding during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The ICPC also discovered 18 buildings, 12 business premises and 25 plots of land linked with the fund. The former ICPC chairman argued that the money was paid when children were not in school. Despite requests by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project to Umar-Farouq to publish details and names of the suspects, which the former minister failed to do.
Therefore, it is heartwarming that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, Halima Shehu, over the ongoing probe into the N37billion alleged scam in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development and money meant for the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme under the Ministry.
The allegations are too weighty to be glossed over. Let the EFCC thoroughly investigate the matter and bring to justice all those involved in the scam. The diversion of funds meant to feed school children, especially during COVID-19, is a violation of their rights to health and education.
We urge President Bola Tinubu to probe all past heads of MDAs with the aim of bringing those found wanting to book. The probe should not be limited to the Air Nigeria, CBN and Humanitarian Ministry scandals. Let the government probe those who were engaged in corrupt practices under the previous administration. In doing so, there should be no sacred cows.