N37.1bn fraud: EFCC has approved bail for Sadiya Umar-Farouk

The former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, underwent an extensive interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at their headquarters in Abuja.

This interrogation primarily focused on her association with contractor James Okwete and the disbursement of ₦37,170,855,753.44 into his bank accounts through ministry agencies. Umar-Farouk was required to provide a statement clarifying her connection with Okwete and the movement of funds into his accounts.

Detailed documents were presented to her, outlining the transfer of funds from the ministry to various bank accounts linked to Okwete. Although Umar-Farouk was granted bail, she must report to the EFCC on a daily basis.

On the other hand, Okwete, the contractor under investigation, had previously been released on administrative bail. The documents uncovered a series of transactions made by Okwete, including transfers to Bureau De Change operators, cash withdrawals, and the acquisition of luxury cars and properties in Abuja and Enugu.

A total of 53 companies connected to Okwete have been identified in the investigation, out of which 47 have managed to secure Federal Government contracts amounting to N27,423,824,339.86. Okwete is linked to a total of 143 bank accounts spread across 12 commercial banks.

In a tweet, the former minister mentioned her visit to the EFCC headquarters, emphasizing her intention to provide clarifications regarding the matters being probed by the anti-graft agency.