Coalition of Pro-democracy and Human Rights Group in Nigeria, in same vein with other civil society organisations cut across the country, has called for visa restriction against the Executive Chairman of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, others over contempt of court.
The spokesperson of the group, Comrade Ibrahim Bakori, in a statement signed and made available to newsmen on Friday, emphasized that ‘To know what is right and not to do it is worst cowardice.’
Bakori said: “The angst against the cowardly and disgraceful disobedience to the several orders of Nigerian courts of competent jurisdiction as a punishment for Abdulrashed Bawa of EFCC for his contempt of court is a clear sign-post that Nigerians are no longer willing to allow law breakers disguising as law enforcement agents to get away with their recklessness.
“It evokes questions why it is the same Bawa of EFCC associated with crude tactics of fighting corruption, selective prosecution and in certain instances persecution of suspects, is the person refusing to obey the laws of our land, undermining himself and exhibiting gross disobedience to the orders of Nigerian courts. It is high time the Presidency saw the dangers posed to the laws of our country when unelected government appointees are acting with above-the-law swagger. Particularly if the day light contempt of court hanging around his neck becomes the features among government officials!
“The fundamental questions is how can government officials disobey court orders in a cynical and very contemptuous manner, and yet expect the ordinary Nigerians to respect their glaring acts of impunity, high-handedness and biased handling of corruption cases? This is the time to drive sanity into the service psyche of Bawa and other law breakers in the ‘Emefielization’ of the Nigerian laws and even the Constitution.
“It was quite an amateurish reaction on the part of Bawa’s EFCC when his mouth-piece recently said that people were sponsoring the civil society groups against the lawless conduct of the Commission under the stewardship of Bawa.It is unfortunate that the EFCC has forgotten that the civil societies are part and parcel of the Nigerian state and are vehemently opposed to the style and gestapo hounding of perceived political enemies for personal gains.
“The EFCC spokesperson failed to see the hand-writing on the wall that Nigerians are indeed tired of EFCC’s lackluster and abysmal failures in all ramifications and as such has nothing new to offer the country due to the extreme moral burden hanging on the chairman’s neck,going after innocent personalities rather than the real culprits. It seems Bawa’s atrocities against innocent citizens have made him develop insomnia to the level of not remembering the several people he has offended via instrument of selective prosecution over his few years stay on the saddle.
“Let us state that since the incorporation of Nigeria as a country not even EFCC a product of National Assembly law, the most endemic threat to her growth and stability has been disobedience to court orders by minions using the cover of their good offices for the entrenchment of contempt in flagrant disregard and disrespect to our courts.
“This obnoxious culture of disobedience to court orders idealized by the Bawas of this world, had permeated almost all facets of our national lives spreading like wild fire from the Presidency to the Emefiele’s CBN.
“The same Bawa has been accused of abandoning his prosecutorial prowess in the face of massive looting and corruption by some of his privileged associates.
“Several international institutions have genuinely and consistently expressed reservation that Bawa’s selective fight and continued disobedience to court orders in our country must be rebuked. If not, the consequences may translate to similar disobedience to the activities of the EFCC as an anti-graft agency on the part of the Nigerian people as a replica to the lawlessness of the Commission.
“ Bawa’s EFCC is at the moment occupying a damnable position in the chart of government agencies violating court orders in the African continent. Bawa came with pomp and pageantry and was expected to ‘heal our land and wipe out corruption’.
“Unfortunately, he became infected himself by the cancer! Obviously, disobedience to court orders is much more cancerous than corruption. The conduct of Bawa is pure case of ‘anti-corruption campaign in detention’ or better still “democracy in detention.” Should it therefore, not be thrilling news and a great public relief if visa restriction is placed on Bawa and members of his cycle? With glaring evidence against Bawa’s contemptuous behaviour, we implore the members of diplomatic missions in Nigeria to have the courage to do the needful.” He added.
The group, however urged the international community to place visa restriction against Bawa and members of his cycle for the dwindling the rating of the outfit via his continuous violation of human rights, selective anti-corruption campaign, high-handedness and disobedience to court orders.
