‘I reported irregularities before my suspension’ – Halima Shehu denies N44bn diversion

Former National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, NSIPA, Halima Shehu, has denied allegations that she diverted N44 billion, insisting that no funds were transferred to her personal account.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Shehu said she had alerted anti-graft agencies and other relevant authorities to alleged financial irregularities within the agency before her suspension in December 2023.

According to her, she discovered weak financial controls shortly after assuming office and raised concerns with the then Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, and other officials.

She alleged that funds were moved without her approval and that several programme managers appointed by the minister operated outside the agency’s established structure.

“There were movements of funds that I didn’t give approval for, didn’t authorise and didn’t consent to,” Shehu said, adding that transactions were allegedly carried out without her knowledge.

The former NSIPA boss further claimed that she formally petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, over the alleged violations before she was suspended.

Shehu maintained that rather than being protected as a whistleblower, she was removed from office barely 10 weeks after escalating the matter.

Rejecting allegations that she diverted N44 billion, she stated that investigators never traced any funds to her or members of her family.

“I never transferred N44 billion to any personal account. The EFCC never recovered a penny from my account, my family’s account, or any friend’s account,” she said.

She explained that the transfers under scrutiny were payments made to licensed service providers and financial institutions responsible for disbursing funds to beneficiaries of government social intervention programmes.

Shehu said she fully cooperated with the EFCC investigation and provided documents and evidence to support her claims.

The former NSIPA chief urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and ensure that the findings of investigations into the agency are made public.

“My integrity is my asset. I may have made administrative mistakes, but I am not corrupt and I did not take funds meant for poor and vulnerable Nigerians,” she said.

Shehu’s clarification comes amid ongoing scrutiny of financial activities linked to the administration of social investment programmes under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.