N585m scam: Betta Edu denied access to Villa to see Tinubu

Suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu was on Monday stopped from gaining access to the Presidential Villa to see President Bola Tinubu.

Edu was suspended by the president on Monday and he told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the deposition of N585 million by the minister into a private account.

There has been uproar after a letter Edu wrote to the Accountant General to pay the N585 million fund meant for the vulnerable into some states of the federation into a private account, hit the social media.

Villa sources said security operatives have withdrawn the pass that will enable the suspended minister gain access to Tinubu from her.

An Aso Rock Villa told the Daily Trust that “The pass of the suspended minister to Aso Villa has been collected.”

It was learnt that the suspended minister was seen exiting the Villa in a black SUV after she was denied access to Tinubu on Monday.

Edu was accused of asking the Accountant General to pay the N585.189 million grant meant for vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun and Lagos states into a private account.

Earlier, the president, in a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale suspended Edu from office with immediate effect in a bit to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians.

The President directed the EFCC to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, as well as one or more agencies thereunder.

“The suspended Minister is hereby directed to hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and she is further directed by the President to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.

“Furthermore, the President has tasked a panel that is headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to, among other functions, conduct a comprehensive diagnostic on the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes with a view to conclusively reforming the relevant institutions and programmes in a determined bid to eliminate all institutional frailties for the exclusive benefit of disadvantaged households and win back lost public confidence in the initiative. These directives of the President take immediate effect,” Ngelale said.