The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested and detained the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, over the ongoing investigation into the N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, under former Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouk.
EFCC operatives stormed NSIPA’s office at the Federal Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday at about 9 a.m. and drove Shehu to the EFCC headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
Shehu was reportedly detained and interrogated.
Trusted senior officers of the EFCC who spoke on the condition of anonymity were said to have revealed that Shehu was indicted in connection with the alleged $37.1 billion fraud as the former National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme under the Ministry.
According to PUNCH, the EFCC officers were quoted as saying that “Halima Shehu is currently in our (EFCC) custody in connection with the ongoing N37.1bn fraud that took place under the former Humanitarian Minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouk.
“Halima was the National Coordinator in charge of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme under the Ministry during Buhari’s tenure, and she’s been queried over some of the money that left the ministry’s coffers through her.
“The former Minister, Sadiya is also expected at the office tomorrow (Wednesday) for questioning over the N37.1bn money laundering case.”
On Tuesday tPresident Bola Tinubu approved the suspension of Shehu as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the National Coordinator of NSIPA, while Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, the National N-Power Programme manager, was appointed in acting capacity as NC/CEO pending the conclusion of the investigation.
