Follow Us on Google
From Noah Ebije , Kaduna
Coalition of Anti-corruption Civil Society Organizations in the Northwest has called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali to as a matter of urgency investigate Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) seeking removal of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, AbdulRasheed Bawa.
The Coalition which is the umbrella body for all Anti-corruption CSOs in the Northwest while addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Friday said the CSOs seeking the EFCC Boss’s removal were being sponsored by corrupt public officials, hence the need to investigate and bring them to justice.
Leader of the Coalition and Executive Chairman of Corruption Tracker Initiative, Comrade Hamza Abidin said, the Coalition established to foster harmonious working relationship among CSO’s and share information on how better to support government in fighting corruption, has investigated and discovered that, CSOs demanding Bawa’s removal, lack any form of evidence against the EFCC Boss.
“A protest led by a CSO, calling for removal of EFCC CHAIRMAN and to tarnish the good image of the current EFCC Chairman is not what the civil society organization stood for but adhere to the rule of law and the constitution is our utmost goal and objective.
“The EFCC chairman has a constitutional duty to perform, please we urge the CSO to challenge authority base on rule of law and constitutional provisions.
“The Corruption tracker initiative has been collaborating with EFCC in the fight against the common enermy called corruption. We urge other civil society organization to trend on that part of honour.
“The Northwest coalition of Anti-corruption wish to categorically state as follows: We call on president Mohammadu Buhari as a matter of urgency to direct the Anthony General, Security Chiefs and other relevant authority to give the EFCC every necessary lagal support to do their work without intimidation or blackmail.
“We call on inspector general of police to swing into action with immediate effect to unravel those corrupt public official behind this campaign of blackmail and such persons should face the wrath of the law.
“In 2004, Abdulrasheed Bawa began working for the EFCC as an Assistant Detective Superintendent (ADS). He was chosen in October 2015 to lead the commission’s inquiries against Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former minister of petroleum resources, and her accomplices.
“He has participated in the prosecution of offenses such as money laundering, bank fraud, official corruption, and advance fee fraud. He is the current EFCC chairman who is the youngest. He received training from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN), and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
“Abdulrasheed Bawa revealed that the anti-graft organization has taken back almost N30 billion from Idris Ahmed, the suspended former Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).Ahmed is being prosecuted by the Commission for an alleged N109 billion fraud.
Giving a breakdown of the achievements of the anti-graft body from January to December, 2022, he gave other recoveries as N134,33,759,574.25, $121,769,076.30, £21,020.00, €156,925.00, ¥21,350.00, CFA300,000.00 among others.
“Bawa also revealed that over 3,615 convictions were recorded within the period, adding that the administration is serious about its anti-corruption programme. The EFCC boss announced that following the nationwide auction of forfeited automobiles, it will be followed by the disposal of over 150 houses to interested buyers,” the Coalition said.
It however vowed that, it will not hesitate to mobilize one million man match in each of the Northwest state to protest against this corrupt officials, calling on the Corporate Affairs Commission to be be more rigorous in registering CSO in Nigeria.
