Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
No fewer than three bank Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors have been quizzed by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in connection with the N44 billion scandal involving the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Ms Betta Edu.
The affected banks according to Ikengaonline checks include: Zenith Bank, Providus Bank, and Jaiz Bank.
Ikengaonline reliably gathered that the affected bank CEOs are currently being interrogated by EFCC investors at the commission’s headquarters, Jabi, Abuja.
Recall that the embattled Minister who was yesterday suspended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is also as at the time of filing this report, being detained and grilled at the EFCC headquarters over another ₦585million fraud.
Similarly, Halima Shehu, the Co-ordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency domiciled in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is being probed by the EFCC over an alleged ₦44bn fraud.
EFCC source which pleaded anonymity, confirmed that Zenith, Providus, and Jaiz banks are being questioned over the ₦44.5bn fraud uncovered in the Ministry involving Edu and Shehu.
“The CEOs and MDs of Zenith Bank, Providus Bank, and Jaiz Bank are currently being grilled by our interrogators here at the headquarters.
“They were invited and are being probed in connection with the uncovered ₦44bn fraud and the ₦585million involving Halima Shehu and Betta Edu.
“The suspended minister and the coordinator have both made new revelations during their interrogations, and the investigation is still ongoing,” the source said.
The suspended minister was invited by the anti-graft agency in compliance with Tinubu’s order that a comprehensive investigation encompassing her activities in the ministry be carried out, a top source in the anti-graft commission told reporters.
Recall that Sadiya Farouq, was queried by EFCC interrogators on Monday, over allegations that she laundered N37.1 billion while serving as a minister in former President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.
Shehu was earlier arrested in connection with an alleged ₦44billion money laundering and had been mandated to report to the EFCC every day following her release last Wednesday.
