• Why He Slammed Indefinite Suspension on EFCC Chairman
The whirlwind of suspension, and the dismantling of the governance structure put in place by former President Muhammadu Buhari appears to be gaining momentum, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu moves to consolidate his grip on key institutions of the State. The latest in the move is the indefinite suspension slammed on Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa.
President shape various institutions at a pace that is leaving many Nigerians trying to play catch up. According to a statement released by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and signed by Director of Information, Willie Bassey, the indefinite suspension placed on the EFCC helmsman is to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.
The statement read, “This follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him. Mr. Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation.” Interestingly, the suspension of the Chairman of the EFCC follows last weekend’s suspension of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele. The suspended CBN Governor was immediately arrested by the Department of State Services and flown on a private jet from Lagos to Abuja, where he is currently facing interrogation by DSS officials.
The Explainer recalls that recently former Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle alleged that he and some other prominent Nigerians had evidence of corrupt practices against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa. Some anti-corruption groups, numbering over 150, called for the sacking of the EFCC Chair, insisting he could no longer continue to remain in office, especially with the serious allegations against him.
Specifically, the National Coordinator of the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Organisations, Adamu Aminu alleged that Bawa forced the DG of National Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) into sponsoring his family members to study abroad at the Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bhubaneswar, India. He alleged that the EFCC chairman intimidated and harassed the National Communication Commission (NCC) into giving his elder brother a job while he himself employed another member of his family in the EFCC’s Lagos Command.
According to him, Bawa operates like an emperor, using his office to intimidate, harass, and force people to do his bidding, including the banks, other government agencies, and innocent Nigerians, with the backing of his godfather, the Attorney General. The Explainer recalls that in his inaugural address following his swearing as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces on May 29, President Tinubu talked about the need for a house cleaning with respect to Nigeria’s monetary policy. In that particular acceptance speech, the President did not provide much soundbite with respect to the views on how the anti-corruption agencies would be organized. With the indefinite suspension slammed on the EFCC Chairman, President Tinubu appears to be making yet another powerful move to take firm control of the key institutions, which he considers critical to shaping his mandate.
