N585m fraud: EFCC probes Accountant General of the Federation, others 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced the immediate interrogation of the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, following alleged N585.2 million fraud in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Other staff of the ministry were also invited for the probe by the EFCC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) cited a source who confirmed that Madein and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation staff were invited over their alleged link to the fraud involving the suspended minister, Betta Edu.

They were grilled for several hours at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, but were later released.

“She was grilled for several hours on Monday over the payment of N585.2 million from the National Social Investment Office (NSIO) account to the UBA account of Bridget Oniyelu, the Accountant of the Grants for Vulnerable Groups under the Ministry.

“She told the investigators that she didn’t approve Edu’s memo for payment into private accounts.

“She was not detained and was released with no condition after she made her explanation in writing to the investigators during interrogation.”

“I don’t know how many of them that were released or being detained but some of them are still in custody depending on their involvement,” the source said.

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation was recently rocked by corruption allegations after a leaked memo revealed that the suspended minister Edu in December 2023, allegedly requested Madein to transfer the money from the NSIO to a private account.

The N585 million was meant for payment of grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Cross River and Ogun states.

She was later suspended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and was later invited for probe by the anti-graft agency.