The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has disputed the report that the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development Sadiya Umar-Farouq, did not shun its invitation as reported by a section of the media.
Denying the report on Thursday, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, the EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, explained that Farouq sent a letter explaining why she won’t be able to honour the invitation.
According to Oyewale, the Minister could not honour the invitation because she was indisposed due to health challenges.
” Indeed, she didn’t show up but she sent a letter pleading for more time explaining that she had some health challenges.
”She didn’t shun the EFCC invitation, she gave reasons why she couldn’t meet up
”Her lawyer was also at the commission to brief the anti-graft agency of why she couldn’t come or honour the invitation,”
Oyewale said.
He further explained that the commission had considered her plea, and expected that she would honour the invitation without further delay
However, he added that there might not be any reason for her arrest as she had done the needful through her lawyer.
”The position of the commission is that she should turn herself in without further delay,” Oyewale added.
According to him, the N37.1 billion being branded might not be a correct figure for the money misappropriated by the ministry
”On the figure that is being branded, I cannot categorically confirm the figure because it is an ongoing thing, We are still tracing all the transactions here and there, it may be more than that.
”We can’t publish a figure now until we finish the tracking and it may be more than what is being brandished now,” he said.
