- The minister has been in the spotlight in recent weeks over allegations of corruption and financial misappropriation when she held sway at the ministry.
The former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, has revealed why she did not honour the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The minister has been in the spotlight in recent weeks over allegations of corruption and financial misappropriation when she held sway at the ministry.
She has refused to honour the invitations of the anti-graft agency for interrogation over an ongoing probe into the N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered during her tenure in office, through a contractor, James Okwete.
However, the minister has cited health challenges for her inability to show up at the EFCC’s office.
According to PUNCH, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale on Thursday said Umar had sent a legal representative to the commission and has written to the commission seeking to be given more time to honour the invitation.
Oyewale said, “The former Humanitarian Minister didn’t appear before the commission yesterday, but she sent in a letter pleading for more time and also explaining that she has some health challenges and that was why she couldn’t honour the invitation. She also sent in her lawyer to meet with interrogators.
“However, the commission has mandated her to submit herself to the commission without further delay. We are still tracing all the transactions, hence we cannot put a figure to everything now as the investigation is still ongoing.”