The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says disgraced humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister Betta Edu has been invited for investigation over her illegal request for N585 million meant for vulnerable people to be paid into a private account.

“She (Ms Edu) has been invited for investigation,” Dele Oyewale, spokesperson for the antigraft agency, on Monday told Peoples Gazette. But added that the disgraced minister is not in the antigraft agency’s custody “at the moment.”

Last Friday, Peoples Gazette reported that last December, Ms Edu wrote the office of the accountant-general, demanding that N585 million earmarked to reduce poverty of vulnerable citizens in Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Lagos, and Ogun states be paid into the UBA account — 2003682151— of one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.

The leaked memo has sparked public outrage, with many calling for her to be investigated, forcing President Bola Tinubu to suspend Ms Edu as minister earlier on Monday, ordering that the EFCC investigate her.

Before Mr Tinubu suspended Ms Edu, 37, youngest among the crop of ministers, she had admitted authoring the memo, claiming allegations against her were plots by fraudulent forces she has exposed.

However, the accountant general, Oluwatoyin Madein, in a statement on Saturday, said Ms Edu flouted financial regulations by requesting that funds be wired into a private account.

“Mrs Madein explained that although her Office received the said request from the Ministry, it did not carry out the payment. The Ministry (Mrs Edu’s) was, however, advised on the appropriate steps to take in making such payments in line with the established payment procedure.”