Alleged N2bn fraud: EFCC grills, detains ex-Women Affairs Minister, Pauline Tallen

Less than a week after the end of the former President, Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in which she served as a minister, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday quizzed the immediate past Minister of Women Affairs,  Mrs Pauline Tallen over alleged money laundering.

Though details of allegations against the ex-minister, who served in the second term of Buhari’s administration, were sketchy as of the time of filing this report, Tribune Online learnt from a reliable source familiar with her case that Tallen was being investigated by the anti-corruption commission over an alleged corrupt enrichment to the tune of N2 billion.

The ex-minister, according to the source, arrived at the EFCC Abuja Zonal Command of the Commission at Wuse 2 on invitation at 12pm on Friday.

It was learnt that part of the money Tallen was being investigated was allegedly diverted from the African First Lady Mission project.

She was still being grilled by a team of EFCC investigators.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for confirmation but another reliable source at the commission confirmed that the report was true, adding that Tallen was with the commission as of Friday night.

It was, however, not clear if she would be allowed to go home on administrative bail or be remanded in custody.

EFCC had on May 10 arrested a former minister in the Buhari administration, Saleh Mamman, who was sacked by the former President in September, 2021.

Mamman, who was Minister of Power, was arrested by the anti-graft agency over an alleged financial malfeasance to the tune of N22 billion.

He was said to have been fingered by some staff of the ministry over corrupt practices relating to the Mambilla and Zungeru hydro power projects. 

The staff were said to have collaborated with the former minister to divert money from the accounts of both hydropower projects and shared the same among themselves.