A former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq has shunned the invitation by the anti-corruption body, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The anti-graft body is probing the former minister over alleged N37.1 billion fraud.
Umar-Farouq, who was appointed Minister by former President Muhammadu Buhari is currently under probe over the N37,170,855,753.44 reportedly laundered under her watch through a contractor, James Okwete.
According to The PUNCH, Umar-Farouq kept interrogators waiting for over eight hours on Wednesday without an official communication to the commission as to why she didn’t honour the invitation.
The former minister was asked to appear before interrogators at the EFCC headquarters, Jabbi, Abuja on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, to explain the alleged fraud.
He was supposed to be at the EFCC office at about 10:00 am, to give an account of the alleged fraud that took place under her watch, a document exclusively seen by The PUNCH on Saturday revealed.
However, The PUNCH correspondent who was at the EFCC headquarters from 9 am to 6.30 pm observed that the former minister did not show up at the anti-corruption agency’s office for interrogation.
An interrogator, who spoke with the newspaper’s reporter on condition of anonymity, said the interrogation team had to close from work at about 6 pm when it was certain that the former minister was not going to show up.
“We just closed from work now because she didn’t show up today, and it’s 6 pm already. It’s certain that she’s never going to show up today,” the source was quoted as saying.
SaharaReporters had reported that Umar-Farouq denied knowledge of the contractor, James Okwete.
The former minister in December tweeted on her X handle, “There have been a number of reports linking me to a purported investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission into the activities of one James Okwete, someone completely unknown to me.
“James Okwete neither worked for, nor represented me in any way whatsoever. The linkages and associations to my person are spurious. While I resist the urge to engage in any media trial whatsoever, I have however contacted my legal team to explore possible options to seek redress on the malicious attack on my person.
“I remain proud to have served my country as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with every sense of responsibility and would defend my actions, stewardship and programmes during my tenure whenever I am called upon to do so.”
https://punchng.com/breaking-