SaharaReporters on January 5 reported how Edu asked the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to send public funds to a private account, according to a letter obtained by the newspaper.
An activist, Deji Adeyanju, has said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is guilty of transferring money into private accounts following the recent scandal involving the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
SaharaReporters on January 5 reported how Edu asked the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to send public funds to a private account, according to a letter obtained by the newspaper.
The private account belonged to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as a project manager by the minister.
A letter from the minister with reference number: FMHAPA/HQ/OHM/S.208 to the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Madein dated December 20, 2023, asked that over N585 million should be sent to a private account.
The letter signed by the minister, Dr Edu, was titled ‘Mandate for Payment of Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun States Respectively’.
It read, “I hereby approve the payment of the cumulative sum of five hundred and eighty-five million, one hundred and eighty-nine thousand, five hundred naira (N585,189,500.00). These are payments for programmes and activities of the Renewed Hope Grant for Vulnerable Groups.”
The details show that N219,429,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Akwa Ibom State; N73,828,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Cross River State; N219,462,250.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Lagos State while N72,468,750.00 was for 2023 Grant for Vulnerable Groups in Ogun State.
The letter said the payment of N585,189,500.00 –the total sum – should be made to a UBA account: 2003682151 belonging to Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
“This payment should be made from the National Social Investment Officer account with account number: 0020208461037 to the Project Accountant’s details listed above,” it added.
Adeyanju while featuring on Arise TV on Sunday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to limit its investigation to the poverty alleviation ministry.
According to Adeyanju, Edu “is just one among the ministers”.
He said, “Even what she said in the heat of the moment was that it is common practice. All the ministers do it; there is nothing that Betta has done that they are not doing. Quote me anywhere today that even NNPC transfers money to private accounts.
“I can provide you audited and classified transfers from NNPC into private accounts.
“CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) transfers money (into private accounts). Even this set of people that have taken over from the crooked (Godwin) Emefiele administration; these new guys are transferring money into private accounts.”
He noted that if the EFCC “wants to fight corruption, they should not just pick up an individual but it should cut across the board.”
He insisted that he had evidence to substantiate his claims.