Npower: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Releases, Re-invites Former National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) Ms. Halima Shehu

According to Npower, the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Tuesday night January 2nd 2024, freed the former National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) the agency in charge of Npower, Ms. Halima Shehu.

According to Npower, the former National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) the agency in charge of Npower, Ms. Halima Shehu, was released at 11pm Tuesday night January 2nd 2024, but was told by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to return by 11am yesterday morning 3rd January 2024, for continuation of her interrogation.

“Ms. Halima Shehu the former National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) the agency in charge of Npower, was detained but freed by 11pm yesterday night. Ms. Halima Shehu will return 11am Wednesday morning for further interrogation,” according to a reliable source.

According to Npower, Ms. Halima Shehu, who allegedly resisted arrest for over 8 hours on Tuesday 2nd January, was finally picked up in connection with the movement of ₦44 billion from the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) account to some suspicious accounts within the last 4 days in December 2023.

According to Npower, the interception and recovery of the cash followed some alleged payments of billions of naira by the agency in charge of Npower, without the president's consent.

According to Npower, it was learnt that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) might have recommended Ms. Halima Shehu’s suspension to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Ms. Halima Shehu the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, the agency in charge of Npower, indefinite suspension, was based on an initial investigation, this was to pave the way for an unrestrained probe of the infringement.

According to Npower, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who were drafted to the National Coordinator’s private office and home, arrested her at about 8pm on Tuesday, night.

According to Npower, after searching the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency's home and office, Ms. Halima Shehu was taken into custody at about 9pm for interrogation.

According to Npower, report also have it that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was closing in on a director of the agency in charge of Npower, who was allegedly involved in the huge payments into the suspicious accounts.

The former Director of Finance NSIPA the agency in charge of Npower, Hamza Buwai, it was gathered was presently on the run and trying to escape from Nigeria.

Investigation revealed that following intelligence, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) discovered “unusual transfer of billions of naira” from NSIPA’s account. It was common knowledge that agency in charge of Npower, heads have approval limit of ₦10 million only from government coffers.

According to Npower, a reliable source, said: “The the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raised eyebrows on the suspicious payments of billions of naira into some individual and corporate accounts.

“Initial investigation showed that there was no presidential approval or ministerial approval for the payment of such huge funds from government coffers.

“Pre-emptive steps were immediately put in place to track the suspicious funds. So far, about ₦17 billion has been intercepted and recovered from some accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“Our team is working 24 hours to trace and recover the remaining billions of naira suspected to have been laundered from the Social Investment Programme as cash.”

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) source explained how the former NSIPA boss was arrested.”

He said: “Shortly after her suspension, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), operatives laid siege to Ms Halima Shehu's office in Maitama District, Abuja but it took almost 9 hours to arrest Ms. Halima Shehu. “While the operation lasted, the EFCC chairman directed that the operatives should not break into Ms. Halima Shehu's office or her residence but wait patiently for Ms. Halima Shehu to come out. Ms. Halima Shehu the ex-boss of NSIPA the agency in charge of Npower, was heard making several calls for rescue or escape.

“Eventually, Ms. Halima Shehu was arrested and detained by EFCC. Ms. Halima Shehu the former boss of NSIPA investigation immediately commenced based on previous findings.”

According to Npower, before Ms. Halima Shehu's appointment, Ms. Halima Shehu worked as the National Coordinator of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme which was dented by several irregularities under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ms. Halima Shehu the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency the agency in charge of Npower, also served with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development the ministry in charge of Npower, between 2017 and 2022, under Sadia Umar Farouq who is being investigated for an alleged ₦37 billion fraud.

According to Npower, investigation so far confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wielded the big stick because Ms. Halima Shehu the former CEO of NSIPA the agency in charge of Npower, had earlier defied a presidential directive to work with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation the minister in charge of Npower, Dr. Betta Edu, to pay the outstanding Npower payment to Npower batch c of Npower before Xmas.

About 400,000 Npower batch c have not received Npower payment in the past few months.

According to a reliable source: “the suspended National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency the agency in charge of Npower, Ms. Halima Shehu, did not work with the Minister Dr. Betta Edu as expected on Npower. Following the resistance of the presidential directive by Ms. Halima Shehu, the presidency asked the Minister in charge of Npower, Dr Betta Edu to liaise with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) to pay Npower batch c for the first month which was successfully done.

“Amidst this challenge, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) intercepted suspicious payments by NSIPA the agency in charge of Npower. The president Bola Ahmed Tinubu had no choice than to approve Ms. Halima Shehu's suspension  as requested by the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).”

According to Npower, EFCC was on the trail of a director of the Social Investment Agency the agency in charge of Npower, Hamza Bawai, who was central to the suspicious payments.