N37b probe: Ex minister gets EFCC’s 72-hour ultimatum

Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, must appear at the Abuja headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for interrogation, the agency has said.

The minister, who cited health challenges, approached the anti-graft agency through her counsel, requesting that the deadline be extended by three weeks.

But the Commission yesterday asked her to appear before its team within three days for interrogation.

The ex-minister was invited over the alleged laundering of N37, 170,855,753.44 in her ministry during her tenure through a contractor, James Okwete.

Although the ex-minister has denied having any link with the implicated contractor, the anti-graft commission insisted that she should come for questioning.

The one-time minister formally wrote to the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, that she was indisposed.

A source said: “In her letter, she asked the EFCC to give her three weeks to attend to her health before honouring the commission’s investigation. The letter was delivered by her counsel on Wednesday.

But the EFCC said it cannot delay the investigation for three weeks. It has given the ex-minister three days to appear or risk being declared wanted.

Olukoyede has put a new system in place such that you can appear before EFCC detectives and sleep in your home the same day. There is no need to panic at all.

We are expecting her; our team is on standby. Even if she requires medical help, we will avail her of our first-class facility.”

EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale said: “We got a letter from the ex-minister that she could not honour our invitation due to some health challenges.

“Since her lawyer brought the letter, the EFCC has also responded accordingly.