The EFCC frees Buhari's minister after a $37.1 billion fraud.

The former minister was questioned at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja while her attorney, Oladipo Okpeseyi, accompanied her. She was asked to write a statement outlining her relationship with contractor James Okwete regarding the payments of ₦37,170,855,753.44 made into his bank accounts via ministry-affiliated agencies.

Our correspondent learned that the former minister was shown documents detailing the money's transfer into multiple bank accounts linked to or owned by Okwete during the interrogation, which took place in the Operations Room of the EFCC Headquarters, located at Plots 301/302, Institutions and Research District, Jabi, Abuja.

"We aren't detaining Sadiya, just as we didn't detain Halima Shehu, because the investigation is still ongoing. She was questioned by interrogators starting at 11 am, and she was released on bail around 11.30 pm tonight (Monday)."Sadiya, however, has been ordered to report to the commission each day starting tomorrow (Tuesday). An EFCC source said, "She was asked to write a statement explaining her relationship with the contractor, Okwete, and how those monies got into his account."

"She was given access to documents showing how the money were moved from the ministry's coffers and deposited into Mr. Okwete's bank accounts," the source continued.

On Monday, Chukwuemeka Eze, Okwete's attorney, verified to our correspondent that his client had been freed by the EFCC.  Eze added that Okwete was requested to report to the commission every day after being freed on administrative bail last Thursday.
"Bail has been granted by the EFCC to my client, Okwete. He was instructed to report to the commission every day since his discharge on Thursday of last week, according to Eze.

Meanwhile, our source verified that on Monday, at around 10:00 am, Umar-Farouk came to the EFCC Headquarters.

"I have, at my behest, arrived at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to honour the invitation by the anti-graft agency to offer clarifications in respect of some issues that the commission is investigating," the former minister tweeted about her visit at the EFCC headquarters at around 10:20 a.m.

According to documents obtained by, Okwete paid N6,746,034,000 to Bureau De Change Operators after receiving the monies. He then withdrew N540 million in cash and used the money to buy luxury cars with N288,348,600 and homes in Abuja and Enugu State with N2,195,115,000.

Okwete has so far been linked to 53 companies. It is also said that Okwete used 47 of the companies to obtain contracts for N27,423,824,339.86 from the Federal Government.

Additionally, he is connected to 143 bank accounts in 12 commercial banks, of which 134 are corporate accounts connected to various businesses.
Only 11 of the 53 firms have Okwete listed as a director, according to checks our reporter did with the Corporate Affairs Commission. His Bank Verification Number is listed as a signatory to the accounts for the other 42 companies.