Nigerian authorities have made significant headway in a corruption investigation, announcing the recovery of nearly $27 million. The probe, spearheaded by the anti-graft agency, implicates a suspended government minister and other officials in alleged financial misconduct.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took decisive action in January, suspending Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister Betta Edu amid accusations of diverting public funds into private accounts.
The head of the ministry’s social investment fund agency, Halima Shehu, was also suspended over alleged graft and subsequently arrested, later released on bail as reported by local media.
Former poverty minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq has also been brought in for questioning in connection with the investigation.
According to a statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the ongoing probe into the humanitarian affairs ministry has yielded significant recoveries, totaling 32.7 billion naira ($26.4 million) and $455,000.
The EFCC noted that several interdicted and suspended officials of the Ministry have been linked to the alleged financial malfeasance.
President Tinubu, who assumed office last year, campaigned on a platform promising to combat corruption in Nigeria, a country consistently ranked low on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index.
His administration has implemented broad economic reforms and taken action against several high-ranking officials, including former central bank chief Godwin Emefiele and the former head of the EFCC.
Despite efforts to tackle corruption, Nigeria continues to grapple with widespread poverty, with the World Bank reporting an increase in the poverty rate from 40 percent in 2018 to 46 percent in 2023, impacting approximately 104 million people.
