Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, failed to appear at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Jabi, Abuja, on Wednesday, News About Nigeria reports.
The ex-minister was expected to answer questions in connection with an alleged N37.1 billion fraud.
According to a top EFCC source who spoke to Channels Television, Umar-Farouk neither appeared in person nor was she represented by her counsel during the scheduled invite.
The former minister, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari from August 2019 to May 2023, had been invited by the anti-graft agency last week as part of an investigation into her activities during her tenure.
The probe centres on the sum of N37.1 billion that was allegedly laundered under her watch through a contractor named James Okwete.
Several officials who worked with Umar-Farouk have also been invited to provide insights into the ministry’s affairs during the past four years.
The development follows the immediate suspension of Halima Shehu, the chief executive officer and national coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), by President Bola Tinubu.
Shehu was replaced by Akindele Egbuwalo, the National N-Power programme manager, in an acting capacity, pending an investigation into the activities of the former head of the agency.
NSIPA, responsible for managing critical programmes such as N-Power and Conditional Cash Transfer, falls under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and has been under scrutiny in recent times.
The reason for Shehu’s suspension has not been disclosed, but it is noted that she has also faced questioning by the EFCC in connection with the ongoing investigation.
