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  • EFCC Belongs To All, Not For Anybody – Bawa

    EFCC Belongs To All, Not For Anybody – Bawa

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) belongs to all Nigerians and not to anybody.

    This is according to the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who stated this on Monday while receiving members of a civil society organization, Civil Society Coalition for Transparency and Good Governance at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

    While calling on all Nigerians to embrace the fight against corruption, Bawa said the anti-graft agency cannot win the war alone.

    “EFCC belongs to all Nigerians and it is not for anybody,” he was quoted as saying via a statement issued by the commission’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren.

    “We realised long ago that the work of the EFCC is not something that can be done alone. Civil Society Organizations and Individuals are all stakeholders because Nigeria is the only country we have.”

    Bawa also assured that the EFCC will partner with civil society organizations to ensure that “the mandate of the Commission and what we stand for, which is ensuring good governance, is imbibed and the country is rid of corruption.”

    Speaking also, the Vice President of CSCTGG, Nse Victor Udeh, lamented the negative impact of corruption on the country.

    He said if the country had functional health, education, aviation, road and other infrastructure, “We will have less to worry about,” adding that “apart from scarce resources, corruption is responsible for the failure of public infrastructures.”

    “We as civil society are offering ourselves as those who will continue to project the message of ‘say no to corruption’ in whatever form,” he assured.

  • EFCC To Demand Assets Declaration From Bankers, Says Bawa

    EFCC To Demand Assets Declaration From Bankers, Says Bawa

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will be demanding the assets declaration forms of all bankers across the country.

    Addressing State House correspondents in Abuja, the chairman of the anti-graft agency, Abdulrasheed Bawa, announced that bankers would be required to present the forms from June 1.

    He briefed reporters on Tuesday following a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in the nation’s capital.

    “The EFCC, come June 1, 2021, will be demanding these assets forms filled by the bankers and for us to see that the line that we have drawn from June 1 is fully complied with by all, bankers in particular,” the EFCC chief said.

    He explained that the commission took the decision as a result of concerns raised on the roles played by bankers in the fight against corruption.

    Bawa stated that this was because criminals would always want to have access to the proceeds of their crime.

    He noted that bankers would be asked to declare their assets and the commission would ensure that all employees in the nation’s banking industry comply with the directive.

    The EFCC chief said, “The assurance that I am going to give Nigerians going forward is that we will do our best to ensure that this country is free of economic and financial crimes.

    “We understood that the tail end of every financial crime is for the criminals to have access to the funds that he or she has illegitimately gotten, and we are worried about the roles of financial institutions.”

    “God willing, we hope that all financial institutions, particularly the bankers will declare their assets as provided for by the law in accordance with the Bank Employees, Etc. (Declaration of Assets) Act,” he added.

  • PDP acknowledges Bawa is first trained investigator to chair EFCC

    PDP acknowledges Bawa is first trained investigator to chair EFCC

    The party stated this in a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan.

    PDP, while urging Bawa to avoid the pitfalls of his immediate predecessor, also advised the new Chairman to re-engineer and restore professionalism in the anti-graft agency.

    Ologbondiyan urged Bawa not to succumb to pressures that may arise from politicians while he discharges his duty.

    According to him, such tendencies have the capacity to erode professionalism in the Commission, and reduce the confidence the public imposed on it.

    Ologbondiyan noted that the EFCC was established to fight corruption and not as a tool for oppression and intimidation of innocent Nigerians for political and other unjustified reasons.

    “The PDP notes that for the first time, the Chairman of the EFCC is drawn from the pool of trained investigators of the commission.”

    He also stated that Nigerians are looking up to the new EFCC boss to bring change to the Commission and restore professionalism in line with international standard

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  • We Must Repatriate All Stolen Assets For Benefit Of Nigerians – Bawa

    We Must Repatriate All Stolen Assets For Benefit Of Nigerians – Bawa

    The newly nominated boss of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa has said the nation must recover all stolen assets for the betterment of Nigerians.

    Mr. Bawa who stated this while appearing before the Senate on Wednesday said he will work with strategic partners around the world to see that Nigeria benefits from the repatriation of assets stolen from her coffers.

    According to Mr. Bawa, the EFCC will achieve its independent objective by sharing information with its partners.

    During his screening by the lawmakers, Bawa stated that the constitution will guide his actions should he be confirmed as EFCC Chairman.

    He promised that at the end of his tenure, the EFCC will be a better place than he met it, noting that his training by the FBI and the National Crime Agency of the United States and the United Kingdom respectively will come in handy.

    Responding to questions regarding what he will do differently from his predecessors, Mr. Bawa said he will reposition the commission by ensuring that it strengthens its standard operating procedures and improve on them.

    He also stated that there will be more transparency and accountability.

    While acknowledges that the EFFC has issues with the management of assets, the nominated EFCC boss said if confirmed, he will embark on the digitization of the offices for proper record keeping.

  • Bawa’s appointment will boost fight against corruption –NYCN

    Bawa’s appointment will boost fight against corruption –NYCN

    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.

  • Bawa to face Senate screening for EFCC Chairmanship

    Bawa to face Senate screening for EFCC Chairmanship

    Nigeria Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chairmanship nominee, Abdulrasheed Bawa will be screened at plenary.

    Senate took the resolution after the executive’s communication on the nomination of Bawa was announced by the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan.

    The development is a departure from the past, where nominees of President Muhammadu Buhari would first pass through Senate Committee scrutiny before a revert report is turned in for consideration by Committee of the whole.

    The Senate President said, screening will hold at the plenary in line with the tradition of the Senate.

    He said: “The screening of the Chairman of EFCC will be done in the plenary in keeping with our tradition.”

    President Buhari had nominated Abdulrasheed Bawa as substantive Chairman of the EFCC and asked the leadership of the National Assembly to confirm the appointment.

    In a letter to the Senate President, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, the President said he was acting in accordance with Paragraph 2(3) of Part1, CAP E1 of EFCC Act 2004.

    Bawa, 40, is a trained EFCC investigator with vast experience in investigation and prosecution of Advance Fee Fraud cases, official corruption, bank fraud, money laundering, and other economic crimes.

    He has undergone several specialized trainings in different parts of the world, and was one of the pioneer EFCC Cadet Officers in 2005.

    Bawa holds a B.Sc degree in Economics, and Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy.

    The last screening of the anti-graft boss was in the 8th Senate during the leadership of Senator Bukola Saraki which turned down the appointment of Ibrahim Magu as a result of the controversial security report about him.