Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has announced recovering a combined total of N32.7bn and $445,000 from the fraud-ridden Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

The ommission, which made this known in a statement on Sunday, also debunked rumours that the suspended minister in charge of the ministry, Betta Edu, her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, and the Coordinator of the National Social Insurance Programmes Agency, Halima Shehu, had been let off the hook.

The EFCC also dispelled what it referred to as assumptions, and insinuations concerning the progress of its investigations into the alleged financial misappropriation in the Ministry, noting that the investigations were going on and anyone found culpable will be brought to book.

The agency statement signed by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the recoveries were made after past and suspended officials of the Ministry were invited for interrogation by the Commission.

“The EFCC has noticed the rising tide of commentaries, opinions, assumptions and insinuations concerning its progressive investigations into the alleged financial misappropriation in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development,” Oyewale stated.

“At the outset of investigations, past and suspended officials of the Humanitarian Ministry were invited by the Commission and investigations into the alleged fraud involving them have yielded the recovery of N32.7bn and $445,000 so far.

“Discreet investigations by the EFCC have opened other fraudulent dealings involving Covid -19 funds, the World Bank loan, Abacha recovered loot released to the Ministry by the Federal Government to execute its poverty alleviation mandate.

“Investigations have also linked several interdicted and suspended officials of the Ministry to the alleged financial malfeasance.

“It is instructive to stress that the Commission’s investigations are not about individuals. The EFCC is investigating a system and intricate web of fraudulent practices.

“Banks involved in the alleged fraud are being investigated. Managing Directors of the indicted banks have made useful statements to investigators digging into the infractions.

“Those found wanting will be prosecuted accordingly. Additionally, the EFCC has not cleared anyone allegedly involved in the fraud. Investigations are ongoing and advancing steadily. The public is enjoined to ignore any claim to the contrary.:

The EFCC had earlier announced that it is probing 50 bank accounts traced to Edu following the discovery of a total of N30bn in the ongoing probe of the involving alleged money laundering charges levelled against her.

In an agency bulletin titled, the EFCC had detailed some major arrests it made, prosecutions, and recoveries made by the commission within the last month.

The document had read:

“Update on Betta Edu investigation. We have laws and regulations guiding our investigations. Nigerians will also know that they are already on suspension, and this is based on the investigations we have done, President Bola Tinubu has proved to Nigerians that he is ready to fight corruption.

“Moreover, concerning this particular case, we have recovered over N30 billion, which is already in the coffers of the Federal Government.

“It takes time to conclude investigations; we started this matter less than six weeks ago. Some cases take years to investigate.

“There are so many angles to it, and we need to follow through with some of the discoveries that we have seen. Nigerians should give us time on this matter; we have professionals on this case, and they need to do things right. There are so many leads here and there.

“As it is now, we are investigating over 50 bank accounts that we have traced money into. That is no child’s play. That’s a big deal. Then you ask about my staff strength.

“And again, we have thousands of other cases that we are working on. Nigerians have seen the impact of what we have done so far, by way of some people being placed on suspension and by way of the recoveries that we have made.

“You have seen that the program itself has been suspended. We are exploring so many discoveries that we have stumbled upon in our investigation.

“If it is about seeing people in jail, well let them wait. Everything has a process to follow. So Nigerians should wait and give us the benefit of the doubt.”