Following an interrogation focused on her relationship with contractor James Okwete regarding the disbursement of N37,170,855,753.44 through agencies in the ministry, Umar-Farouk has been granted bail by the EFCC.

The investigation scrutinized the flow of funds into Okwete’s bank accounts and required Umar-Farouk to provide a statement explaining her connection to him.

Documents presented during the questioning revealed the movement of funds from the ministry to various accounts associated with Okwete. While Umar-Farouk has been released on bail, she is required to report to the EFCC on a daily basis. Okwete, the contractor under investigation, had previously been released on administrative bail.

The investigation has uncovered details of Okwete’s activities, including fund transfers to Bureau De Change operators, cash withdrawals, acquisition of luxury cars, and the purchase of properties in Abuja and Enugu. The probe has also identified 53 companies linked to Okwete, with 47 of them being awarded Federal Government contracts totaling N27,423,824,339.86. Okwete is associated with 143 bank accounts across 12 commercial banks.

The former minister took to Twitter to acknowledge her presence at the EFCC headquarters, stating that she was there to provide clarifications on matters being investigated by the anti-graft agency.