The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has described the appointment of Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as a major boost in the fight against corruption which is one of the cardinal objectives of the President Muhammadu Buhari led government.
Consequently, the NYCN wants the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly to expedite action in confirming the appointment Bawa whom it described as a thoroughbred with proven capacity and integrity to deliver on the assignment.
A statement signed by the NYCN President Solomon Adodo and made available to news men explained that Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa’s nomination is another great win for the Nigerian Youth and will in no small measure unify the youth irrespective of religious of regional inclinations.
“The National Youth Council of Nigeria has received with great delight the news of the nomination of Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission subject to the confirmation of the Nigerian Senate. Indeed, all true patriots have welcome this great news as the biggest masterstroke of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in the fight against corruption, looting, wastage of public funds, financial crimes and the quest to enthrone transparency.
“…Mr. Bawa is indeed a round peg in a round hole. We have diligently looked through the untainted records of this great and young compatriot who has risen through the ranks of the EFCC. No one can better understand the workings of the Commission than a young officer who has spent all his career years within the establishment beginning from the point where the Commission was set up with its unique mandate to halt the negative tide of financial crimes”, the statement noted.
While stressing that Mr. Bawa has been strongly averse to any act of corruption or financial crime all his years at the Commission, the NYCN expressed delight that has shown uncommon determination in fighting against corruption even at the risk of threats to his life and unfounded attempts to blackmail him.
“Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa has been assigned several sensitive investigations to head including the Diezani Allison-Madueke case between 2015 to Date which resulted in the recovery of Millions of Dollars worth of properties in Nigeria, U.K., U.S.A, and U.A.E including 92 properties in Nigeria; the Atlantic Energy Group case between 2014 to 2015 where he Recovered Millions of Dollars worth of properties in Nigeria, UK, USA, Switzerland, UAE and Canada; the highly controversial Crude Oil Swaps and OPA case between 2014 to 2015, again he recovered Billions of Naira for the Federal Government putting an end to a hemorrhagic loss revenue.
“Through diligent investigation, Mr. Bawa was able to unearth the Petroleum Subsidy Fraud between 2012 and 2015 N70Billion, was recovered Billions of Naira and several companies were prosecuted duly. It may be recalled that several men hitherto identified as men of integrity (including Members of the House of Representatives) could not resist the massive bribes and inducement from the subsidy cabal, Mr. Bawa however remained unbended and rather put the nation first. At all his duty posts, the records bear it clear that the sole and singular focus of this fearless fighter against corruption has been to ensure that all traces of financial crimes are identified, exposed and suffocated.
“Mr. Bawa also brings a very rich mix of experience from across the globe having been thoeoughly trained by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Financial Crime Enforcement Network (FINCEN), The World Bank, The United Nations Office of Drug and Crimes, The Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria State Security Services. The EFCC Academy and United Kingdom’s Global Training Consulting. It is the mettle of excellence and fine edge experience garnered from these arduous trainings that positioned him to give his best as Zonal Head at all his duty posts as an Officer primus inter pares. He is also a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) with towering results in investigation, prosecution and conviction of hardened economy saboteurs/criminals. His last duty post saw him supervising the biggest operations zonal office of the EFCC in Lagos with 604 officers and men and securing. The records are unarguable that he secured 227 convictions despite the Covid-19 Pandemic thus significantly staving off financial crimes at such a critical time”, the statement added.
