The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has seized the passports of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq.
A source in the EFCC said the passports of Edu and Umar-Farouk were seized to deter them from fleeing the country while the investigation into alleged corruption scandal in the ministry continued.
“The commission has seized the passports of the two former ministers, Sadiya Umar-Farouq and Betta Edu.
“We have also seized Mrs Halima Shehu’s passport pending the conclusion of investigations. The commission does not want to risk having any of them leave the country while they still have questions to answer,” the source said.
This comes after a leaked memo revealed that Edu requested from the Federation’s Accountant General the payment of N585 million meant for vulnerable people into a private account of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
On her part, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, the former Minister who served under Muhammadu Buhari, was interrogated over alleged fraud committed under her watch.
Halima Shehu, the suspended chief executive officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, is also being investigated by the EFCC.