BREAKING: Tinubu suspends Betta Edu over N585m scandal

In response to public outrage over an alleged N585 million scandal, President Bola Tinubu suspended Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, on Monday.

This was revealed in a statement provided to journalists by Ajuri Ngelale, the President's Special Advisor on Media and Publicity.

"The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, is suspended from office with immediate effect by President Bola Tinubu in accordance with his professed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians," the statement said.

Tinubu ordered a thorough investigation into the purported N585 million controversy at the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation on Sunday.
Additionally, he had promised to "decisively punish" anyone responsible for any violations and offences that turned up during the investigations.
The Peoples Democratic Party, Femi Falana, SAN, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, the Yoruba Youth Assembly, and other civil society organisations demanded an unrestricted investigation of the leaked memo by Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, which directed Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, the Accountant-General of the Federation, to transfer N585 million into the private bank account of Bridget Oniyelu, a project accountant in her ministry.

The minister had stated that the accusations against her were unfounded and that the N585 million payment was intended for vulnerable groups in the states of Lagos, Ogun, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom.

In a statement, Rasheed Olarenwaju, the Minister's media assistant, stated that it was permissible for civil servants to make payments into employees' personal accounts, particularly those of project accountants.