N37B Fraud Allegations: Ex-Buhari’s Minister Hints At Suing EFCC

Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Faroq, has revealed that she has contacted her legal team to explore possible options to seek redress over allegations of 37 billion naira money laundering levelled against her.

CityNews Nigeria recalls that the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) had earlier accused the Faroq-led ministry of laundering the total sum of N37,170,855,753.44.

According to Punch Newspaper, the money was transferred from the Federal Government’s coffers and sent to 38 different bank accounts domiciled in five legacy commercial banks belonging to or connected with a contractor, James Okwete.

Following receipt of the funds, Okwete allegedly transferred N6,746,034,000.00 to Bureau De Change Operators, withdrew N540,000,000.00 in cash, purchased luxury cars with N288,348,600.00, and bought luxury houses in Abuja and Enugu State with N2,195,115,000.00.

Fifty-three companies were allegedly traced to Okwete, who was also said to have used 47 of the companies to lift Federal Government contracts amounting to N27,423,824,339.86. He is also linked with 143 bank accounts in 12 commercial banks in which 134 accounts are corporate accounts linked to different companies.

However, the minister in a statement released on her official X account, denied the allegations levelled against her, saying that Okwete, the person that was claimed to have overseen the laundering process, was unknown to her.

The statement released by Faroq read, “There have been a number of reports linking me to a purported investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the activities of one James Okwete, someone completely unknown to me. James Okwete neither worked for, nor represented me in any way whatsoever. The linkages and associations to my person are spurious.  While I resist the urge to engage in any media trial whatsoever, I have however contacted my Legal Team to explore possible options to seek redress on the malicious attack on my person.

“I remain proud to have served my country as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with every sense of responsibility and would defend my actions, stewardship and programmes during my tenure whenever I am called upon to do so.”