₦37.1bn fraud: EFCC grants Buhari’s minister bail
Sadiya Umar-Farouk, the former minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management, and social development, was questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday for more than 12 hours, from 11 a.m. to 11.30 p.m.
The former minister was questioned at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja in the presence of her attorney, Oladipo Okpeseyi. She was asked to write a statement outlining her relationship with contractor James Okwete regarding the payments of ₦37,170,855,753.44 made into his bank accounts through ministry-affiliated agencies.
It was reported that during the former minister’s interrogation in the Operations Room of the EFCC Headquarters, located at Plots 301/302, Institutions and Research District, Jabi, Abuja, documents demonstrating the money’s transfer into multiple bank accounts linked to or owned by Okwete were shown to him.
“We aren’t keeping Sadiya, just like we didn’t jail Halima Shehu, because the inquiry is still ongoing. She was questioned by interrogators starting at 11 am and was released on bond about 11.30 pm tonight (Monday).
But from tomorrow (Tuesday), Sadiya is required to report to the commission every day. According to an EFCC source, she was requested to prepare a statement outlining how the funds entered Okwete’s account and her relationship with the contractor.
The source continued, “She was provided with documentation demonstrating the transfer of funds from the ministry’s funds and their placement in Mr. Okwete’s bank accounts.”
On Monday, Chukwuemeka Eze, Okwete’s attorney, verified that his client had been freed by the EFCC.
