Suspended Nigerian Poverty Minister had $24M in her Bank Accounts

www.telegraph.co.uk...

A corruption investigation into a suspended Nigerian minister whose job is to help poverty-stricken people has recovered £19 million from more than 50 bank accounts, a financial watchdog has alleged.

Betta Edu, the humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister, has been suspended since January over the alleged diversion of £505,000 of public money into a personal bank account

I was reading about the same case covered by the BBC and what's worth noting is the comment made by the reporter who said the suspension of a government minister in Nigeria is a rare occurrence and this is why corruption of government officials and corruption in Nigeria is such a huge problem. If you have power and money you don't seem to be accountable to anyone but it doesn't happen only in Nigeria. It's just how much corruption the state and people are ready to accept.

www.bbc.co.uk...

The poverty minister was suspended in January because of an alleged transfer of $640,000 in one of her personal bank accounts.

I don't know and it's not clear if the minister has used this money or any other money for herself, friends, family, or to fund other activities not associated with the poverty alleviation projects. Ms Betta Edu who is the poverty minister denies any wrongdoing.

originally posted by: Consvoli
I don't know and it's not clear if the minister has used this money or any other money for herself, friends, family, or to fund other activities not associated with the poverty alleviation projects. Ms Betta Edu who is the poverty minister denies any wrongdoing.

It doesn't even seem clear whether it was Dr Edu's personal account that the money was transferred into. According to her lawyer's statement;

“For the avoidance of doubt, our client has neither been indicted nor found culpable of any act of financial impropriety in relation to her stewardship of the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry in Nigeria. It is also pertinent to emphasise that neither N30billion nor any amount whatsoever has been traced to or recovered from our client’s bank accounts nor has any proceed of crime been traced or recovered from her to warrant the scurrilous article under reference."

punchng.com...

The BBC, so far, have made no amendment to their article despite the threat of a $50 million law suit. Could be bluff and bravado, maybe an attempt to spin but given that Dr Edu is yet to be charged with anything, it is kind of jumping the gun and rightfully brings due process into question.

a reply to: Consvoli

If you have power and money you don't seem to be accountable to anyone but it doesn't happen only in Nigeria.

And that right there is how the world predominantly spins.

Are there acceptions to the rule, sometimes, but more often than not.

Money talks, and the rest just do the walk of life.

originally posted by: andy06shake
And that right there is how the world predominantly spins.

Are there acceptions to the rule, sometimes, but more often than not.

Money talks, and the rest just do the walk of life.

And sometimes the one that is pushed out is the one that takes the path less trod - the exception to the rule - and won't bend with the corruption. Not saying that this is necessarily the case here, but if we are to maintain a standard, innocent until proven guilty is as good a place to start as any and the BBC should be careful how it gambles with licence payers money - particularly now.

a reply to: BrucellaOrchitis

BBC eh?

You mean the same people that enabled and shielded the likes of Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris so they could get away with their beasty shenanigans.

As to gambling with license payer's money, well that's extortion how they get those fees in the first place.

I believe I received a letter from her back in the early 90's.

originally posted by: BrucellaOrchitis

originally posted by: Consvoli
I don't know and it's not clear if the minister has used this money or any other money for herself, friends, family, or to fund other activities not associated with the poverty alleviation projects. Ms Betta Edu who is the poverty minister denies any wrongdoing.

It doesn't even seem clear whether it was Dr Edu's personal account that the money was transferred into. According to her lawyer's statement;

“For the avoidance of doubt, our client has neither been indicted nor found culpable of any act of financial impropriety in relation to her stewardship of the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry in Nigeria. It is also pertinent to emphasise that neither N30billion nor any amount whatsoever has been traced to or recovered from our client’s bank accounts nor has any proceed of crime been traced or recovered from her to warrant the scurrilous article under reference."

punchng.com...

The BBC, so far, have made no amendment to their article despite the threat of a $50 million law suit. Could be bluff and bravado, maybe an attempt to spin but given that Dr Edu is yet to be charged with anything, it is kind of jumping the gun and rightfully brings due process into question.

I get your point and have addressed the fact that she hasn't been charged with anything yet but suspended back in January because of a transfer of $640,000 in one of her personal accounts. She is under investigation t the moment and innocent until proven guilty if she is ever charged with something.

The main concern is the huge corruption seen in Nigeria and as a result almost nobody gets investigated or charged (officials and politicians)

Her guilt gets thinner and thinner as somehow the "proof" and "evidence" slowly gets destroyed and lost and witnesses get paid off. 😬

originally posted by: xuenchen
Her guilt gets thinner and thinner as somehow the "proof" and "evidence" slowly gets destroyed and lost and witnesses get paid off. 😬

It could happen but are you speculating it may happen in this case?

originally posted by: Consvoli
www.telegraph.co.uk...

A corruption investigation into a suspended Nigerian minister whose job is to help poverty-stricken people has recovered £19 million from more than 50 bank accounts, a financial watchdog has alleged.

Betta Edu, the humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister, has been suspended since January over the alleged diversion of £505,000 of public money into a personal bank account

I was reading about the same case covered by the BBC and what's worth noting is the comment made by the reporter who said the suspension of a government minister in Nigeria is a rare occurrence and this is why corruption of government officials and corruption in Nigeria is such a huge problem. If you have power and money you don't seem to be accountable to anyone but it doesn't happen only in Nigeria. It's just how much corruption the state and people are ready to accept.

www.bbc.co.uk...

The poverty minister was suspended in January because of an alleged transfer of $640,000 in one of her personal bank accounts.

I don't know and it's not clear if the minister has used this money or any other money for herself, friends, family, or to fund other activities not associated with the poverty alleviation projects. Ms Betta Edu who is the poverty minister denies any wrongdoing.

Yea, that's my aunt, the princess. That money has been tied up in those accounts for years. She needed US dollars to get it out, I just didn't have the money at the time.

originally posted by: ashisnotanidiot

originally posted by: Consvoli
www.telegraph.co.uk...

A corruption investigation into a suspended Nigerian minister whose job is to help poverty-stricken people has recovered £19 million from more than 50 bank accounts, a financial watchdog has alleged.

Betta Edu, the humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation minister, has been suspended since January over the alleged diversion of £505,000 of public money into a personal bank account

I was reading about the same case covered by the BBC and what's worth noting is the comment made by the reporter who said the suspension of a government minister in Nigeria is a rare occurrence and this is why corruption of government officials and corruption in Nigeria is such a huge problem. If you have power and money you don't seem to be accountable to anyone but it doesn't happen only in Nigeria. It's just how much corruption the state and people are ready to accept.

www.bbc.co.uk...

The poverty minister was suspended in January because of an alleged transfer of $640,000 in one of her personal bank accounts.

I don't know and it's not clear if the minister has used this money or any other money for herself, friends, family, or to fund other activities not associated with the poverty alleviation projects. Ms Betta Edu who is the poverty minister denies any wrongdoing.

Yea, that's my aunt, the princess. That money has been tied up in those accounts for years. She needed US dollars to get it out, I just didn't have the money at the time.

The funds were not converted to US dollars. We did it to make the comparisons.

originally posted by: BrucellaOrchitis

originally posted by: Consvoli
I don't know and it's not clear if the minister has used this money or any other money for herself, friends, family, or to fund other activities not associated with the poverty alleviation projects. Ms Betta Edu who is the poverty minister denies any wrongdoing.

It doesn't even seem clear whether it was Dr Edu's personal account that the money was transferred into. According to her lawyer's statement;

“For the avoidance of doubt, our client has neither been indicted nor found culpable of any act of financial impropriety in relation to her stewardship of the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry in Nigeria. It is also pertinent to emphasise that neither N30billion nor any amount whatsoever has been traced to or recovered from our client’s bank accounts nor has any proceed of crime been traced or recovered from her to warrant the scurrilous article under reference."

punchng.com...
This is of course a poor minister in Nigeria. In general, I believe that politicians should be ordinary people who live in poverty. Then the money will go where it is needed. I myself started looking at rooster.bet and found a rooster bet no deposit bonus for myself. Now I’m actively reading about him on the Internet. I want to know as much as possible. Everyone wants money, and politicians want it more than anyone else.
The BBC, so far, have made no amendment to their article despite the threat of a $50 million law suit. Could be bluff and bravado, maybe an attempt to spin but given that Dr Edu is yet to be charged with anything, it is kind of jumping the gun and rightfully brings due process into question.

There is no need to think about this, these people should be brought to justice immediately. The amount in the account is simply incredible.