The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, instructed Accountant-General of the Federation, Toyin Sakirat Madein, to transfer hundreds of millions of naira designated for vulnerable Nigerians in four states into a private individual account, according to a document seen by Peoples Gazette.

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.

“I hereby approve the payment of the cumulative sum of N585,189,500. These are payments for programmes and activities of the Renewed Hope grant for Vulnerable Groups.  Name: Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, bank: UBA, acct no: 2003682151,” Ms Edu wrote in a letter to Ms Madein on December 20.

“This payment should be made from the National Social Investment Office account with account number l; 0020208461037 to the project accountant’s details listed above,” she added. 

The fact that money meant for distribution to impoverished residents in four states in the South-West and South-South geographical regions of the country was placed into a single individual account has increased worries that the money might not fulfil its intended purpose and was another channel to loot government funds. 

Lagos state was marked to get the lion’s share of N219,462,250 and Akwa-Ibom the second largest share with N219,429,750, Cross River with N73,828,750, and Ogun with N72,468,750.

Rasheed Olanrewaju, an aide to the humanitarian minister, told The Gazette, “You are going to hear from us very, very soon”, without elaborating and then hung up the phone. 

The diversion of such humongous funds into a private account has caused people to question the integrity of Ms Edu, who only assumed office six months ago.

An enquiry sent to the website of the Office of the Accountant-General was not immediately replied.

Sadiya Umar Farouq, the former humanitarian minister under the immediate past Muhammadu Buhari administration, is still under probe over the alleged embezzlement of N37.1 billion while she was in office.

Anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) waited in vain on Wednesday to question Ms Farouq, who was invited to answer pertinent queries about the dubious transactions.

Ms Farouq’s probe and unexplainable circumstance surrounding the intended N585 million transfer to an individual account are beginning to cast a pall on the humanitarian ministry and its nascent minister.