Betta Edu: EFCC recovers ₦30bn, investigates 50 bank accounts

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has recovered ₦30 billion in the corruption scandal involving Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.

The anti-graft agency announced the latest development in a bulletin titled, “EFCC Alert,” on Monday, April 8, 2024, as an update on the ongoing investigation of the ministry over alleged money laundering.

The bulletin detailed some arrests, prosecutions, and recoveries the EFCC has made so far.

The document stated that in the course of the investigation, the EFCC has recovered N30bn, which according to the agency is now with the Federal Government.

The bulletin reads, “Update on Betta Edu investigation. We have laws and regulations guiding our investigations. Nigerians will also know that they are already on suspension, and this is based on the investigations we have done, and President Bola Tinubu has proved to Nigerians that he is ready to fight corruption.

“Moreover, concerning this particular case, we have recovered over N30 billion, which is already in the coffers of the Federal Government.

“It takes time to conclude investigations; we started this matter less than six weeks ago. Some cases take years to investigate. There are so many angles to it, and we need to follow through with some of the discoveries that we have seen. Nigerians should give us time on this matter; we have professionals on this case, and they need to do things right. There are so many leads here and there.

The EFCC added that monies have been traced to some banks, adding that over 50 banks are being investigated.

The agency said further, “As it is now, we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into. That is no child’s play. That’s a big deal. Then you ask about my staff strength.

“And again, we have thousands of other cases that we are working on. Nigerians have seen the impact of what we have done so far, by way of some people being placed on suspension and by way of the recoveries that we have made. You have seen that the programme itself has been suspended. We are exploring so many discoveries that we have stumbled upon in our investigation.

You’ll recall that President Bola Tinubu in January suspended both Edu and the former chief executive officer of the now-suspended National Social Investment Programme Authority (NSIPA), Halima Shehu over financial malfeasance.