Peter Obi of the Labour Party has called for a thorough investigation of the suspension of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister Betta Edu to expose and punish everyone involved in the scandal.

“While the action of the government is a welcome development, the investigation must be comprehensive so that all those culpable are brought to book,” Mr Obi said in a statement shared on his X account on Wednesday.

“It is not only immoral but also insensitive for those entrusted with funds for public welfare to literally steal from the poor. I call on the administration to use these cases to initiate a thorough system-wide and systematic investigation of all reported cases of fraud and corruption among high government officials in the country.”

“The suspension of the Minister should not be a window-dressing action but should be a peg to get at all those who are deserving of blame and punished just like the Minister.”

Lamenting other scandals unravelled in the humanitarian ministry, Mr Obi said it appears the ministry was established as a conduit to siphon public funds while using poverty alleviation as a cover.

“By a sad coincidence, the alleged fraudulent diversion of N585 million of public money by Ms Edu broke almost at the same moment that the Minister who held the same portfolio in the last administration is being investigated for a whopping N37bn misappropriation. The Ministry may have been created by the system as a conduit pipe to siphon public funds while using the poor as a face,” Mr Obi said.

“Equally worrisome and disgusting is the fact that the missing funds are meant for poverty alleviation in a time of severe suffering among the people. Unfortunately, a ruling elite that can shamelessly convert, divert, or misappropriate such huge sums meant for the poor cannot be trusted to address the severe poverty ravaging the people,” he added.

Peoples Gazette had cited a leaked memo reporting how Ms Edu illegally requested N585million of public funds be wired into a private account.

Ms Edu admitted authoring the memo requesting that N585 million be paid into a private account but claimed forces against her were scheming to tarnish her image because she exposed them.

Amidst public outrage at the revelation, President Bola Tinubu suspended Ms Edu, ordering the Economic Financial Crimes Commission to investigate her.

Following an investigation into fraud allegations recorded in the ministry of humanitarian affairs, the EFCC has seized the passports of suspended Ms Edu and her predecessor, Sadiya Umar Farouq.