President Bola Tinubu has ordered a probe into the payment of N585 million into a private account at the behest of Betta Edu, minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation.
Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
In a recently leaked memo, Edu had asked Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the federation (AGF), to pay the aforementioned sum to one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola.
Although the AGF said she did not execute the instruction, Rasheed Zubair, media aide to the minister, said the request followed due process.
The event has since sparked outrage across the country as concerns continue to mount over the intentions of the request.
Speaking on the issue, Idris said the federal government takes issues like this very seriously.
“The Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is transparent and accountable to the people, and committed to ensuring that public funds are allocated and utilized effectively and efficiently to address the needs of Nigerians,” the statement reads.
“In light of recent events, the president has directed that a thorough and comprehensive investigation be conducted to ascertain the accuracy and validity of the reported details.
“The government is determined to unravel the truth as it relates to this matter, and assures that appropriate action will be taken to ensure that any breaches and infractions are identified and decisively punished, in line with the Administration’s commitment to public accountability and due process.
“The public is advised to note, against the backdrop of various unverified narratives circulating on the Internet, that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, under the leadership of Minister Mohammed Idris, is the primary source for verified information about events and actions of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
The minister also promised to provide Nigerians with timely information as the investigation progresses.
