PRESIDENT TINUBU SUSPENDS MINISTER OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION, BETTA EDU FROM OFFICE

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended Minister Of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu from Office.

In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect.

The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies thereunder.

The suspended Minister is hereby directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and she is further directed by the President to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.

Furthermore, the President has tasked a panel that is headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes in a determined bid to eliminate all institutional frailties for the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households and win back lost public confidence in the initiative.

These directives of the President take immediate effect.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

January 8, 2024

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had ordered a thorough probe of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation led by Betta Edu after the Minister was accused of granting approval for the disbursement of N585,198,500.00 into a personal account.

In a letter allegedly signed by the humanitarian minister, Betta is alleged to have instructed the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer the sum to the account of one Oniyelu Bridget as grant for vulnerable groups in four states. However, Madein explained that although her office received a request from the humanitarian ministry to make certain payments, her office did not act on it.

Edu, 37, the youngest minister in the President’s cabinet, subsequently said there were plans to tarnish her image and stressed that she will never be involved in the embezzlement of public funds but in a statement released on Sunday January 7th, the Information Minister said that the government was determined to unravel the truth.