37bn Fraud: Umar-Farouq Writes EFCC Over Her Absence For Questioning

Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, has officially requested an extension from the EFCC to meet with interrogators regarding an ongoing probe into an alleged N37.17 billion laundering during her tenure.

VerseNews reports that Umar sent a legal representative to the EFCC and submitted a letter explaining her health condition, seeking more time to comply with the invitation.

The letter which disclosed that the extension request is based on health challenges was confirmed on Thursday by the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale.

“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.” Dele clarified.

The EFCC, while acknowledging her health challenges, has mandated her to submit herself without further delay.

The investigation is ongoing, and the exact figures are yet to be determined.

VerseNews had reported that 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 investigators at the EFCC Headquarters, Jabbi, Abuja on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at about 10:00 am, to give an account of the alleged monumental fraud that took place under her watch.

Umar-Farouq was the pioneer Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

She was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2019 as the youngest cabinet member.

Her work with Buhari dates back to his days as the leader and presidential candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change when she was the national treasurer of the party and later the national treasurer of the All Progressives Congress.

Meanwhile, in 2020, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission said it uncovered N2.67bn meant for the ministry’s school feeding programme in private bank accounts.