Ex -Women Affairs Minister Clears Air On EFCC Visit, Alleged N2bn Fraud

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has spoken about her interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over corruption allegations.

Tallen was at the EFCC’s zonal command in Abuja, the nation’s capital, on Friday, June 2. She said she was invited by the EFCC to answer questions about her ministry’s activities during her time in office.

Tallen was reportedly questioned for allegedly misappropriating N2 billion from the African First Lady Peace Mission Project (AFLPM).

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Reacting to the development via a statement issued on Saturday morning, June 3, Tallen said she was at the EFCC office on her “own accord” and wasn’t invited or arrested.

The former minister said she went to the office of the anti-graft agency to “address the very false allegations” recently made against her. However, she did not provide details of the allegation.

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The statement reads in part: “Owing to the respect for my former principal — Former President Muhammadu Buhari and his good office, I did not previously address the open allegation, however, it has now become necessary to do so.

“Firstly, the decent & appropriate action, should this have been a genuine enquiry, would be to write to the Ministry for Women Affairs, to enquire about any funds sent to the Ministry.

“To immediately jump to the open without any proper formal correspondence is highly unprofessional, portrays a lack of respect for the Ministry of Women Affairs and is injurious to my person and character.

“Furthermore, I will like to state that there was no formal invitation from the anti-graft agency neither was I arrested.”

Tallen said “economic and political infrastructure” should be used to serve the nation and “not to be used as a tool for bias or intimidation”