Nigerian officials recover $24m in poverty minister investigation

As much as $24 million was recovered from a suspended Nigeria minister as part of an ongoing corruption into a major national welfare programme designed to help ease poverty.

Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister Betta Edu was suspended in January over the alleged diversion of $640,000 of public money into a personal bank account.

President Bola Tinubu then ordered an investigation into her ministry.

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had called for Betta Edu to be sacked and prosecuted "over the alleged looting of N44 billion", almost $50 million, from a social investment fund "meant for the well-being of the poor".

It claimed this included "N585.2 million audaciously diverted by her to a private account".

The measure against the humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister came days after another senior official was suspended over corruption allegations.

Halima Shehu, the head of NSIPA -- which falls under the poverty ministry -- was arrested and released on bail, while former poverty minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq was also taken for questioning, according to local media.

Tinubu came to power last year promising to crack down on graft in Nigeria.

He vowed reforms and swiftly suspended several officials, including former central bank chief Godwin Emefiele and ex-head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa.

But Edu is the first minister the president has suspended.

Nigeria remains one of the lowest ranked on Transparency International's widely watched corruption perceptions index.

Africa's most populous nation has seen the poverty rate increase from 40 percent of the population in 2018 to 46 percent in 2023, affecting around 104 million people, the World Bank said last month.

(With AFP inputs)

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