Alleged N37bn Fraud: EFCC Indicts Buhari’s Humanitarian Minister, Contractor
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is believed to have uncovered a total of N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs during the supervision of Mrs. Sadiya Umar-Farouk as minister.
The anti-corruption agency’s ongoing probe, it was gathered indicated that the money in question was transferred from the Federal Government’s account and moved to 38 different bank accounts domiciled in five commercial banks connected to a major contractor, Mr. James Okwete.
It was further gathered that following receipt of the funds, Okwete also allegedly transferred N6,746,034,000.00 to Bureau De Change Operators, withdrew N540,000,000.00 in cash, purchased luxury cars worth N288,348,600.00, and bought luxury houses in Abuja and Enugu State with N2,195,115,000.00.
Similarly, 53 companies were allegedly traced to Okwete, who was believed to have used 47 of the companies to lift contracts from the government amounting to N27,423,824,339.86.
Okwete was also linked with 143 bank accounts in 12 commercial banks in which 134 accounts are corporate accounts linked to different companies.
Mrs Umar-Farouq was the pioneer Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2019.
During her reign as minister, there were allegations of massive corruption in school feeding policy of the Federal Government as students were allegedly fed during COVID-19 shut down in which schools were closed.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs currently 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.
