Dr Abubakar Alkali
About two months ago precisely on 7/1/24, I wrote an article titled Betta Edu, Halima Shehu, Saadiya Farouq and the all-female triangle of corruption. In the article, there was an expose of the huge scandal at the former ministry of humanitarian affairs involving the 3 female gladiators and the detrimental effect it will have on any war against corruption by the Tinubu administration.
Two months on and still counting, nothing has been heard from the EFCC about the scandal. Even the Wale Edun-led committee charged by the President to investigate the findings within 6 weeks, has not come out to tell Nigerians the result of their investigation, if any. It seems the Wale Edu committee has other ideas as reports indicate that the committee has transferred the conditional cash transfer (CCT) from the former ministry of humanitarian affairs to the federal ministry of finance which is headed by Mr Edun.
To refresh our memories about this humongous scandal, recall that Betta Edu the suspended minister, humanitarian affairs was accused of authorising the payment of N585.2 million into the private account of a so-called ‘project manager’ at the ministry which runs counter to section 713 of Nigeria’s financial regulations 2009. Halima Shehu, the former coordinator of the conditional cash transfer (CCT) is accused of diverting a princely sum of N44 billion to an unknown destination while Saadiya Farouq, the erstwhile minister of humanitarian affairs during the corruption-ravaged Buhari administration, is accused of money laundering to the tune of N37.1 billion. The minister of interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is also accused of cornering some contracts as part of the scandal although he has not been arrested by the EFCC.
The 3 suspects are all currently on administrative bail.
In my article under reference, I was hopeful on one hand but highly sceptical on the other, that the anti-corruption agency EFCC will investigate and unravel the case of the missing funds, prosecute anybody found wanting, confiscate the loot and send them to jail even if to serve as a deterrent to others.
My scepticism arose from the way and manner the EFCC has been conducting it’s affairs for a long time. The typical EFCC trial goes thus:
1. You hear of a corruption case involving billions of Naira.
2. There was a show trial and a plea bargain.
3. The suspect is granted bail and
4. THAT’S IT. You don’t hear anything about the case again. Case closed.
5. The EFCC moves to the next case.
I was also sceptical that the 3 women individually or collectively, will use the instruments of contacts and connections in government to kill the case and even go for a fresh appointment thereafter.
The Betta Edu scandal is the first test case of high profile corruption for the Tinubu administration. Sweeping the case under the carpet means nobody should expect any fight against corruption from the Tinubu administration going forward. The EFCC should open up the Betta Edu case, arraign the suspects before a court of competent jurisdiction and allow the law take its course.
Why corruption continues to reign Supreme in the land is because there is no deterrent. A suspect is caught with impeccable evidence against them and they go scot free by our extremely weak legal system thus encouraging others to do a copycat because there is no price to pay.
Nigerians are watching!
