I have no link with N30bn recovered by EFCC— Betta Edu

The suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, has distanced herself from the N30 billion recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Edu spoke to clear the air on the inferences being drawn from EFCC statement on the recovered find said no such money was either traced or recovered from her.

It would be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had suspended Edu on January 8, following allegation of N585.2 million fraud.

Tinubu also directed the EFCC to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the financial transaction involving her ministry.

But after the probe began, the anti-graft agency disclosed that N30 billion had been recovered, while over 50 accounts were being investigated.

In its bulletin titled “EFCC Alert”, the anti-graft commission said: “Moreover, with respect to this particular case, we have recovered over N30 billion, which is already in the coffers of the Federal Government.”

However, a letter issued on Wednesday by Edu’s lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, denied knowledge of the money recovered.

The letter reads: “Neither N30bn 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.

“First and foremost, the language used in describing our client’s purported involvement in the alleged corruption case suggested guilt without allowing for the presumption of innocence, which is fundamental in any fair and unbiased reporting.”