I was not arrested by EFCC: Pauline Tallen speaks

Pauline Tallen, former minister of women affairs, said she visited the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday on her own accord.

Tallen made the clarification on Saturday after reports emerged that she was at the zonal command of the anti-graft agency in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

According to reports, the former minister was being questioned for allegedly misappropriating N2 billion from the African First Lady Peace Mission Project (AFLPM).

Reacting to the news in a statement issued on Saturday morning, Tallen said she was not invited or arrested by the EFCC but she went on her own will to clarify allegations against her.

She said: “Owing to the respect for my former principal — Former President Muhammadu Buhari and his good office, I did not previously address the open allegation, however, it has now become necessary to do so.

“Firstly, the decent & appropriate action, should this have been a genuine enquiry, would be to write to the Ministry for Women Affairs, to enquire about any funds sent to the Ministry.

“To immediately jump to the open without any proper formal correspondence is highly unprofessional, portrays a lack of respect for the Ministry of Women Affairs and is injurious to my person and character.

“Furthermore, I will like to state that there was no formal invitation from the anti-graft agency neither was I arrested.”

Tallen said “economic and political infrastructure” should be used to serve the nation and “not to be used as a tool for bias or intimidation”.