Tinubu suspends Betta Edu, asks EFCC to wade in

President Bola Tinubu has suspended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, instructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC to conduct a thorough investigation into financial transactions of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

The President also directed that a panel, headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun should step in, in a bid to reforming social investment programmes to regain public confidence.

The Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga stated this in a statement via his official X handle on Monday.

The statement reads, “In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect.

“The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (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.”