In a letter that has been leaked to the media, Dr Betta Edu, the minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation allegedly asked the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein to divert N585 million meant for poverty alleviation in four state to a private account.

The ministry and the NSIP have been mired in controversy as President Bola Tinubu recently suspended Halima Shehu as National Coordinator and CEO, National Social Investment Programme Agency over alleged financial misappropriation to the tune of N44 billion.

She was later questioned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. At the same time, the former minister in charge of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Farouq is also wanted for questioning by the anti-graft commission.

Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, National N-POWER Programme Manager, was appointed in an acting capacity as NC/CEO, pending the conclusion of the investigation after Shehu’s suspension.

In the latest controversy, the minister in a response to the stories published by an online medium alleging the payment of the funds into a private account owned by Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, a project manager, has send due process was followed in making the payment.

The funds are meant to be paid as grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos and Ogun.

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