Naija247news reports that Halima Shehu, the former National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), has categorically denied allegations that she misappropriated N44 billion in public funds during her tenure.
Shehu, who was appointed in October 2023 and suspended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu just three months later in January 2024, became the subject of an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over suspected unauthorized withdrawals from NSIPA accounts into private and corporate accounts.
In an exclusive interview with FactNews, monitored by Naija247news, Shehu challenged the basis of the allegations, stating that at no point did she approve or facilitate transfers into personal accounts.
“There was no N44 billion. The figures are not even correct,” she said. “Yes, funds were transferred to commercial banks and payment service providers, but those were standard procedures for disbursements to beneficiaries. Am I to call beneficiaries to my house and hand out money?”
Naija247news gathered that Shehu strongly refuted claims that any funds were recovered from her personal accounts, labeling such reports as “baseless” and “fabricated.” According to her, there exists no structure within the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that would permit such transactions.
“To think that Halima Shehu transferred N44 billion to personal accounts in just two days is absurd,” she said. “These are cock and bull stories.”
Naija247news understands that Shehu also denied ever confessing to any wrongdoing, referring to viral media claims of an accidental N44 billion transfer as “stupidity and lies.”
Naija247news reports that Shehu further dismissed the sensational report that the EFCC discovered N17.8 billion in cash inside her office. “Even banks don’t keep that much in cash,” she argued. “How could I have it in my office?”
Interestingly, Shehu claimed she uncovered financial discrepancies during her short tenure. She disclosed that N14.8 billion left the NSIPA account without her knowledge or approval.
Naija247news gathered that Shehu attributed the financial irregularities to a systemic bypass within the agency, where transactions were allegedly executed from her superiors directly to her subordinates—effectively sidelining her authority as CEO.
“My boss is Betta Edu,” she revealed. “Transactions bypassed me completely. That’s the structure I found.”
Shehu insists she neither stole public funds nor confessed to such, maintaining that her conscience remains clear.
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Reporting by Agnes Ekebuike Editor, Naija247news in Lagos, Nigeria.
