Established to uplift millions from poverty, NSIPA oversees crucial programs like the National Home-Grown School Feeding. Halima, who previously served in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, supervised by Sadiya facing EFCC today, had her press conference plans thwarted by an unexpected EFCC raid on her Abuja office.

Sources revealed a simmering rift between Halima and the current Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Beta Edu, citing alleged unilateral use of agency funds without coordination. The minister’s engagement of seven banks for fund disbursement without the coordinator’s knowledge strained their relationship.

Despite this, Halima proceeded with the minister’s plan but reduced the banks to four, claiming issues with recovery mechanisms. The minister, allegedly bypassing the coordinator, prompted liaisons with subordinates, causing internal strife.

The EFCC operation disrupted fund disbursement plans to vulnerable groups on the outskirts of Abuja, revealing underlying power struggles. Claims of attempts to manipulate the national social register and pressure on Halima to compromise transparency surfaced.

Halima had emphasized accountability in implementing the $800 million World Bank Conditional Cash Transfer program, sourced from the social registers of states and the FCT.

Efforts to obtain responses from the current minister, Dr. Edu, remained unanswered. The suspension was justified by a source close to the minister as President Tinubu’s prerogative, emphasizing the need for transparency.

Civil Society advocate Auwal Musa Rafsanjani warned against indiscriminate suspensions without confirmed corruption allegations, highlighting the necessity to curb ministerial excesses within agencies and parastatals, stressing adherence to existing laws.