N44bn allegation: Ex-NSIPA boss insists no cash diversion

By Cynthia Alo

Former National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, NSIPA, Halima Shehu, has maintained that she never diverted N44 billion into any personal account.

Recall that in January 2024, President Bola Tinubu suspended Shehu three months into her appointment over alleged unauthorised withdrawals from NSIPA accounts.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE TV on Monday, Shehu said the allegations were false, maintaining that investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not recover any money from her or members of her family.

Shehu said she had written to President Tinubu, the EFCC, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, seeking the conclusion of investigations and the restoration of her reputation.

She said: “I never transferred N44 billion to any personal account, and the EFCC never recovered a penny from my personal account or from my family’s or from any of my friends’ personal account. I never did, and I stand by that. Never. All the circulations, all the news out there are all rumours.”

Explaining the movement of funds under the social investment programme, Shehu said transfers were made to licensed payment service providers and commercial banks for onward disbursement to beneficiaries in line with existing operational procedures.

“The monies had gone into the accounts of the payment service providers which are existing contractors of the ministry. Their contracts had not expired. I did not contract anyone of them.

“It is exactly the way these programmes are carried out; by transferring the funds of the programmes to commercial banks, payment service providers, regulated and licensed by the Central Bank, or microfinance banks, then you disburse to beneficiaries,” Shehu said.

She maintained that shortly after assuming office in October 2023, she discovered what she described as weak financial controls within the agency and immediately reported them to the appropriate authorities.
“Then there were movements of funds that I didn’t give approval, I didn’t give authorisation, I didn’t consent to. Transaction never came to me,” she added.

According to her, she escalated the alleged breaches to anti-graft agencies before her suspension.

She said, “While I was in office, I called on the EFCC Chairman on 21st of December 2023, before my suspension, and I handed over a letter to him, setting out all these violations of financial regulations in the agency.

“I also called on the ICPC Chairman before my suspension, to let them know all the goings-on of the agency, including additional unauthorised signatories that were added to NSIPA’s account without my approval.

“I thought I was supposed to be honoured for the proactive measures I took. I thought I was supposed to be protected, but my suspension came on what? Transfer of N44 billion into private account, which, until this moment, I will tell you they are false allegations against Halima Shehu.”

She further said she fully cooperated with investigators and supplied documentary evidence.
“The EFCC has investigated me. I helped them to do their job while I was in office. I did a whistleblowing. I gave them documents and I gave them facts.

“What I’m trying to let Nigerians understand is that there are facts, and facts don’t lie. My integrity is my asset. It’s the legacy I carry all around. That’s why I’m pleading with the President to intervene, to let them clear my name. I’m not saying I am perfect. There may be administrative lapses, but I am not corrupt, and I did not take the funds of the poor and vulnerable for myself or for anyone,” Shehu said.