The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, has dismissed the allegations of diverting N3 billion from the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) as “a tissue of lies” and “spurious allegation” to tarnish her reputation.

In a press release issued by her Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair on Thursday, Dr. Edu said she had never requested or withdrawn any fund from the NSIPA account since she assumed office as the minister four months ago. She said the verification of the National Social Register (NSR), which was quoted in some online media as the source of the alleged fraud, was approved by both President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in line with the Renewed Hope Mandate to expand and improve the NSR.

She added that the verification exercise led to the expansion of the NSR and the commencement of payment to various beneficiaries directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The statement read, “The attention of the Honourable Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu has been drawn to spurious allegations suspected to have been sponsored by  some fifth columnists aimed at dragging the hard-earned reputation and integrity of the Honourable Minister into the ongoing investigations of  NSIPA scandal by the anti- graft agency.