Betta Edu Should Stop Insulting Nigerians Amid Attempted N585M Criminal Diversion –Falana-led ASCAB

The Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) has urged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu to stop insulting Nigerians.

ASCAB Chair, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), said the minister should stop trying to claim she is innocent after a leaked memo shows that the she wrote to the Accountant General of the Federation, asking that over N585 million should be paid into a private account.

In a statement signed by the Senior Advocate of Nigeria on Sunday, ASCAB said instead of apologising to Nigerians and resigning from office for the attempted illegality, the minister has described it as a fabrication by her detractors to undermine the efforts of her ministry.

ASCAB said, “It is public knowledge that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betty Edu recently directed the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to pay a whopping sum of N585.18 million into a private account owned by one Oniyelu Bridget, who the ministry claimed currently serves as the Project Accountant, Grants for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun States.

“Happily, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein rightly rejected the illegal directive and refused to pay the said sum of N585.18 million to the agent of the Minister.

“It is interesting to note that the Minister has not denied that she gave approval for the payment of the over half a billion Naira to a private account in contravention of the extant Public Service Rules as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Act and the Penal Code applicable in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Instead of apologising to the Federal Government and people of Nigeria and calling it quits for betraying the confidence reposed in her, the Minister has arrogantly said that the N585.18 million fraud allegation is a mere fabrication by her detractors and an alleged attempt by mischief makers to undermine her ministry’s effort in fighting corruption and uplifting the needy.

“However, notwithstanding that the Accountant-General of the Federation has successfully frustrated the criminal diversion of the said sum of N585.18 million from public treasury, it is crystal clear from the leaked memorandum of the Minister that the offence of an attempt to commit a felony has already been completed.”

According to ASCAB, “there can be no legal justification for the criminal diversion of the said sum of N585.18 million for disbursement to vulnerable people in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun States since the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has collated the individual bank accounts of all the vulnerable people”.

“Having regard to the facts and circumstances of this extremely embarrassing drama, we commend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for the recovery of the sum of N37 billion meant for vulnerable people in Nigeria.

“We also call on the Commission to speed up the ongoing investigation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs with a view to charging all indicted persons before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory as soon as possible,” the statement added.