SPONSORED LIES ON ₦44 BILLION TRANSFER MUST END

It is absolutely impossible for any individual to move ₦44 billion from government coffers into a private account.

The camp of Mrs. Halima Shehu has strongly condemned what it called a “coordinated and malicious media smear campaign” by some bloggers, including Mazi Tunde Ednut on Instagram and @Yarkafanchan on X (formerly Twitter).

The bloggers had alleged that Mrs. Shehu transferred ₦44 billion into a private account—an accusation her camp described as “reckless, baseless, and deliberately misleading.”

According to the statement, such a transaction cannot legally or technically occur within Nigeria’s financial system. It explained that government funds are strictly regulated under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act 2007, the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020, and the Treasury Single Account (TSA) framework introduced in 2015. These frameworks mandate that all government revenues must be lodged in the TSA domiciled with the CBN. In addition, multiple approvals, due process checks, and cross-agency monitoring make it impossible for any individual to divert ₦44 billion into a private account.

The statement emphasized that these safeguards were deliberately instituted to prevent financial recklessness and ensure transparency in public finance. It described the bloggers’ claims as “laughable, ignorant, and a deliberate attempt to mislead Nigerians.”

The camp further denounced the “sponsored smear campaign,” calling it an act of blackmail and a cowardly attempt at character assassination. It alleged that those behind the attacks are “faceless sponsors hiding behind social media mercenaries” and warned them to desist immediately.

It also challenged the sponsors of the false claims to “come forward openly if they have genuine allegations, instead of hiding behind digital warriors.”

The statement warned that anyone who continues to circulate defamatory content would be held accountable under the law, citing Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, which prescribes penalties for spreading false information with intent to defame or damage reputation.

It further declared that if the malicious attacks persist, Mrs. Shehu’s camp will not hesitate to initiate full legal action under the Cybercrime Act 2015, the CBN Act 2007, and Nigeria’s Defamation Laws to ensure that both the purveyors and their sponsors face the consequences.

Finally, the camp urged Nigerians to disregard the fake stories, stay guided by facts and the law, and not be deceived by blackmailers parading as social media influencers.