Tinubu Suspends Beta Edu, Orders EFCC to Probe Her Ministry’s Financial Transactions

President Bola Tinubu has suspended the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister, Beta Edu from office with immediate effect, over an alleged financial scandal in her ministry.

The scandal revolved around the N585.2 million meant for the vulnerable people in Ogun, Lagos, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom States, which was paid into the private account of the project accountant in the ministry, Bridget Oniyeku.

The President ordered her to hand over to the permanent secretary in the ministry.

Tinubu, in a statement issued on Monday, by his media aide, Ajuri Ngilale, also directed the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of financial transactions in the ministries and its agencies.

The president ordered the minister to fully cooperate with the EFCC in the investigations.

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The payment of the N585.2 million into a private account by the minister generated a public outcry, but the minister claimed that she followed due process in the payment.

The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Oluwatoyin Madein, had refused the request of the minister to transfer the fund to the private account.

The president also directed a panel headed by the finance and coordinating minister of the economy to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic of the financial architecture and framework of the social investment program.

The focus of the diagnostic is to conclusively reform the relevant institutions and programs to eliminate all institutional weaknesses for the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households and regain public confidence in the initiative.