The Transparency Network has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to make public its investigation report on the alleged scandal that unsettled the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in early 2024.
The controversy, which led to the removal of former minister Dr Betta Edu and the suspension of senior officials, has remained unresolved nearly two years after the probe began.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Coordinator of the group, Imman Onyi, said the continued silence by the EFCC had cast “a cloud of suspicion” over several civil servants and politicians.
“It’s unfortunate that nearly two years after this saga came to light, the result of the investigations has yet to be made public,” the statement read. “We do not believe that the EFCC, with its capacity and the evidence available to it during the investigation, has not concluded on the culpability of the real perpetrators.”
The group noted that the suspended Executive Secretary of the National Social Investment Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, and her subordinates were still living under uncertainty.
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According to the Transparency Network, the delay in releasing the report undermines confidence in the anti-corruption drive of the government. “The continuing delay puts a cloud on many individuals who were initially fingered but who have not been formally exonerated,” it added.
The group further appealed to the EFCC to “immediately bring the report of its investigations to light so that the country can get a bearing on those who were directly responsible for the alleged scandal.”
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs became the subject of public scrutiny in 2024 following reports of alleged financial mismanagement. The federal government at the time directed the EFCC to conduct a thorough investigation, but no official report has been made public since then.
