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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
President Bola Tinubu has been appointed to direct a review of the mandates of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and other anti-graft agencies.
A rights group, Justice First Initiative (JFI), said this would refocus and make them carry out, strictly, the jobs they were set out to do.
Executive Director, JFI, Uche Maduemesi, in a statement, alleged that many of the anti-graft agencies have become objects of personal vendetta in the hands of some highly placed government officials and individuals, who use them to settle scores with business and political associates.
The group mentioned the case of the recently suspended Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, as one deserving thorough investigation by the government, at least, to show Nigerians and the world that it was committed to the fight against corruption.
The JFI noted that the current administration has a chance to cleanse the Augean stable and restore the confidence of Nigerians in such institutions.
In fact, the group said Bawa’s suspension did not come as a surprise, having been slammed with weighty allegations by former Zamfara State governor, Alhaji Matawale.
“The former governor alleged that Bawa demanded $2 million from him to staunch investigations against the activities of the ex-governor while in office. Like in civilised climes, Bawa ought to have stepped aside to allow investigations to be carried out, instead, he was giving feeble defences which could not convince any discerning mind.
“It would be recalled that the suspended EFCC boss was fingered in some unwholesome dealings involving selling of seized oil-laden vessels in Port Harcourt, while serving as the Zonal Chief of the Commission. Despite such weighty allegations against him, he was still appointed the chairman of EFCC by the former president, Muhammadu Buhari.
“President Tinubu is now in a precarious position to prove to Nigerians that his administration means well and not to witch-hunt Bawa.
Less than 24 hours of the announcement of the suspension of Bawa, the social media has been awash with a letter purportedly written by EFCC in 2020, and signed by the ousted EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa, as head of Lagos Operations, to the Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau, requesting for the asset declarations of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as filled with the bureau.
“Tinubu was being investigated by the Commission, ostensibly by powers from above. Many interpretations are flying around already, insinuating that the president was now hitting back at Bawa. The process of the investigations and possible outcome would show if the postulations were right or otherwise,” JFI stated.
