Via Mansur Abubakar in Abuja & Wedaeli Chibelushi in LondonBBC News8 January 2024, 14:18 GMTUpdated 1 hour agoImage supply, Getty ImagesImage caption, Dr Betta Edu is the youngest minister in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinetNigeria’s president has suspended a minister over the alleged diversion of greater than 585 million naira ($640,000; £500,000) of public cash into a non-public checking account.Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister Betta Edu was once suspended on Monday following public outrage over the scandal.A observation from President Bola Tinubu’s place of work stated he had ordered an investigation into Dr Edu’s ministry.Dr Edu has denied any wrongdoing.Her place of work stated she had authorized the switch into a non-public account, which was once now not in her title, however stated it was once for the “implementation of grants to inclined teams”.Dr Edu, 37, is the youngest minister in President Tinubu’s cupboard and is noticed as a detailed best friend of the president. The suspension of a minister is an extraordinary prevalence in Nigeria – Dr Edu is the primary to lose their process since President Tinubu took place of work in Would possibly remaining 12 months.His predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, sacked most effective two ministers throughout his eight-year tenure.Remaining week, native media reported on a leaked report that allegedly confirmed Dr Edu educating a senior treasury legit to switch the cash to the non-public account of Bridget Oniyelu, the accountant for the federal government’s Grants for Susceptible Teams initiative.Experiences that Dr Edu had requested for the budget be moved to a non-public account, reasonably than a central authority one, led to outrage. Mr Tinubu known as for an investigation into the switch on Sunday.He requested the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) for a “thorough investigation into all sides of the monetary transactions involving the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation,” stated a observation launched on Monday.Mr Tinubu requested Dr Edu to agree to the investigation. The president often known as for the reform of presidency establishments tasked with social building, stressing a want to “win again misplaced public self belief within the initiative”.Further reporting through Chris Ewokor in AbujaYou can be fascinated about:
