In a significant development, President Bola Tinubu has made the decision to indefinitely suspend Mr. AbdulRasheed Bawa, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The suspension aims to facilitate a thorough investigation into the allegations of misconduct leveled against Bawa during his tenure.
According to a statement released by Willie Bassey, the Director of Information in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the decision to suspend Bawa follows serious allegations of abuse of office.
Bawa has been directed to immediately hand over the responsibilities of his office to the Director of Operations within the commission.
The Director of Operations will oversee the duties of the chairman’s office until the investigation concludes.
Born on April 30, 1980, Bawa, a native of Jega in Kebbi State, assumed the role of substantive Chairman of the EFCC on February 16, 2021.
He was confirmed by the National Assembly on February 24, 2023, becoming the youngest Executive Chairman in the commission’s history. Bawa succeeded Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the former acting chairman of the commission.
Prior to his appointment as chairman, Bawa served as the Deputy Chief Superintendent of the anti-graft agency.
However, more recently, concerns regarding the politicization of the commission, disobedience of court orders, and violations of the rights of Nigerians have been raised by over 130 Frontline Anti-corruption Civil Society Organizations.
These concerns led to protests in Lagos, demanding Bawa’s dismissal.
The activists, accompanied by over 20 Constitutional lawyers, contended that Bawa’s attempts to salvage his reputation after alleged dishonourable acts in office had become laughable.
They stressed that no amount of “purchased CSOs’ vote of confidence” could conceal the truth about the irregularities being tolerated within the EFCC under its current leadership.
In September 2020, Peoples Gazette published an exclusive report accusing Bawa of stealing and selling confiscated petrol-bearing trucks to his proxies at highly questionable prices during his tenure in the Port Harcourt office of the commission.
The report stated that Bawa was previously arrested and detained by Magu for several days.
Following his removal from the Port Harcourt office, Bawa was transferred to the agency’s training school in Abuja.
However, when nominated for the position of Chairman of the EFCC, civil society organizations denounced the nomination and called on the Senate to reject it.
During the Senate confirmation screening, Bawa denied the allegations of selling seized properties in Port Harcourt.
On February 17, 2021, the EFCC issued a statement refuting reports that Bawa had been arrested and detained by the agency under Magu for illegally selling 244 forfeited trucks to proxies in Port Harcourt.
The commission emphasized that Bawa was never arrested or detained by Magu.
Furthermore, on November 8, 2022, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered Bawa’s remand for contempt due to the EFCC’s failure to comply with a court order issued on November 21, 2018.
Although the contempt case predates Bawa’s tenure as EFCC chairman, his refusal to submit to arrest has fueled discontent among lawyers and civil society organizations, prompting calls for his removal from office during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
