EFCC freezes N30bn NSIPA funds in private accounts

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen N30 billion moved from the accounts of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).

It was gathered that the funds were moved by some NSIPA officials to private and corporate accounts linked to those serving in the agency.

It was learnt that N44 billion was moved out of the NSIPA’s accounts.

This comes after the EFCC operatives arrested the suspended National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the NSIPA, Halima Shehu, over an alleged N37.1 billion fraud.

The Star had reported that Shehu was arrested at NSIPA’s office at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

It was learnt that Shehu, who was suspended from office by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, was arrested by the EFCC operatives in connection with the alleged N37.1 billion fraud as the former National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.

It was further gathered that the anti-graft agency also arrested NSIPA’s immediate past Director of Finance and Accounts, Bwai Adamu Hamza.

The former Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, however, failed to honour the EFCC invitation to appear for interrogation.

READ ALSO: EFCC arrests NSIPA National Coordinator over N37.1bn fraud

A source, who spoke in confidence, said the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, was personally leading the probe.

“After hours of interrogation and profiling of many accounts, the EFCC was able to confirm that unauthorised N44 billion was suspiciously moved out of NSIPA’s account to some private and corporate accounts.

“So far, N30 billion has been traced to some accounts and frozen.

“Our operatives are on the trail of the owners and alleged fronts or firms used to siphon the cash.

“Records showed that the N44 billion was hurriedly moved out of NSIPA’s account in one week,” the source told TheNation.

Another source said: “The National Coordinator and the ex-DFA were grilled by our investigating team for hours on Wednesday.

“Based on the new focus of the EFCC chairman, Halima was, on compassionate ground, allowed to go home at about 11 p.m. on Tuesday. She reported for another round of interaction yesterday.

“For Hamza, the EFCC arrested him following intelligence that he might travel out of the country for an engagement.”

“The two persons have made useful statements and we have recovered some records which enabled us to trace and freeze N30 billion. For a long time, the two officials have been working together.

“Immediately Hamza retired, Halima appointed him as a Special Adviser on Finance. He was expected to resume work on Tuesday.

“Our team is, however, working round the clock to uncover the accounts where the remaining N14 billion was hidden.”

The Star