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From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Group, Concerned Northern Forum (CNF) on Thursday accused those calling for the removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa as either corrupt or fronting for corrupt individuals in the Country.
Addressing a press conference at the popular Arewa House, Kawo, Kaduna, the Chairman of the Forum, Aliyu Sani said, the anti-graft agency under Bawa has recorded huge success as evidenced in the amount of seizure of recovered monies and properties from corruption suspects.
According to Aliyu, “the CNF, a coalition of 79 civil society and community-based organisations is alarmed by calls for the sacking of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa.
“While we champion and support causes aimed at sanitising the Nigeria political and social space, especially in the area of fighting corruption, we make exceptions when corrupt individuals and organisations attempting to run from the arms of the law engage commercial activists to make nefarious allegations on those saddled with fighting corruption.
“This is a classical example of corruption fighting back and it’s totally unacceptable in any civilised society.
“We have over time observed that persons and organisations standing trial for corrupt practices try to play the ostrich. It is no longer news that most of the acclaimed civil society organisations are paid urchins of indicted persons.
“They employ a strategy of a smear campaign in an attempt to divert attention from their crimes, distract investigations, and delay administration of justice.
“Several of our members have been approached for this hatched job to make wild allegations against the EFCC boss and other top security operatives but none of them accepted to be dragged into the dirty game of mudslinging.
“It’s unfortunate that some unpatriotic groups have jumped on this demonic opportunity with gusto, lashing out at the innocent EFCC boss without conscience.
“This recent allegation of disrespect to the rule of law by the acclaimed 130 civil society organisations is not different as it is also aimed at diverting the attention of the anti-graft agency and its leadership from bringing corrupt individuals and organisations to justice”, he said.
To Aliyu, EFCC under Bawa has between January to December 2022 alone recorded 3, 785 convictions, with 41 discharged, all over the country, a number that has never been recorded in the history of the commission.
“Fines from these convictions were 378, 930, and 402.12 with 650 total custodial sentences secured across all zonal commands and headquarters and forfeited electronics that included 2,048 phones, 425 laptops, 259 automobiles, and 10 TVs.
“Monetary recoveries were, N260, 400, 800,138.93 Nigerian Naira, 876, 138.74 British pound sterling, 650.00 Canadian Dollars, 16,500 Pakistani Rufee, 509,538, 444.15 Us dollars, 2,196,065.00 Euro, 5, 880.00 South African Rand, 8,000 Indian Rufee and 19, 851 Chinese Yuan.
“While in form of digital currency, 4.858924113 Bitcoin, 1,630,123.927 Terra classic, 15.53261207 Ethereum, 46, 216.98 Tronix, 107.486145 Luna Terra and 1, 060.00 Gomining Token were recovered.
“Assets recoveries stood at 9, 713, 500 Nigerian Naira, 38, 050 Us dollars, 2,000 Euros, 24 personal effects, 517 Automobiles, 3631 electronics, 347 plots of land, 2 warehouses, an event center, a market commodity, 3 shopping malls, 250 tonnes of lithium, 27 motorcycles, 6 generators, a hotel, 3 containers, 2 factories, 115 real estate properties, 4 shops, 1 university, 20 vessels and 1, 413.60 metric tonnes of petroleum products.
The authors of this drama calling for the sack of Mr. Bawa are affected by the above development and want him out by all means, so they can continue with business as usual and appear untouchable in the eyes of the law”, he added.
