Abuja, June 3, 2023 – Mrs Pauline Tallen, a former Minister of Women Affairs, on Saturday denied media reports that she was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegation of N2 billion fraud.
In a statement on Saturday, Tallen said went to the EFCC voluntarily and she was neither invited nor detained as reported by media.
She said she went to the EFCC headquarters to address an extremely false claims that had lately been made against her, but she did not specify the false claims.
“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.
“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,” she said.
Tallen advised that the EFCC should be used to serve the nation, but not used as a tool for intimidation.
The media had reported on Friday that the former minister was being detained by the EFCC.
The reports said Tallen was being quizzed over allegation of misappropriation of N2 billion funds in connection with the African First Lady Peace Mission Project (AFLPM) initiated by former first lady, Maryam Abacha.
Tallen was appointed in 2019 by former President Muhammadu Buhari and was deployed to the ministry of women affairs.
She had also served as minister of state for science and technology under former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 and a deputy governor in Plateau State. (GBN)
