Desperate Politicians Under Probe Behind Plot To Remove Bawa – EFCC

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has accused desperate politicians hell-bent on the frustrating investigation into the mindless looting of the treasury of a state in the North of being behind a plot to remove its Executive Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa.

Court orders EFCC to return $60, 000, N580, 000 seized from Bauchi Gov’s son
It, therefore, urged Nigerians to ignore the street protests by those it described as an ‘amorphous group’ bankrolled by those under investigation with a view to inciting the public and discrediting the Commission.

Briefing journalists, on Tuesday, in Abuja, EFCC Chairman Abdulrasheed Bawa, maintained that the anti-graft agency would not be distracted by the campaign of calumny against it.

Recall that scores of anti-corruption civil society organisations have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Bawa for allegedly disobeying court orders on multiple occasions.

Additionally, they alleged that the EFCC has derailed from its mission and was now politicised, urging him (Buhari) to overhaul the anti-graft commission in order to recover its past glory and for a better Nigeria.

But Bawa, who was represented at the briefing by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, refuted the claims, saying the Commission has never, and will not take any steps to undermine the judiciary.

He said, “We wish to raise the alarm about the activities of an amorphous group of so-called Civil Society Organizations who have recently embarked on a campaign to discredit the person of the Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa and incite the public against the Commission

“The group, through press conferences and staged street protests, have been calling for the sack of the EFCC Chairman for alleged disobedience of court orders. They claim they are motivated by the need to strengthen the fight against corruption.

“Contrary to these claims, the EFCC wishes to alert the public that this group have no interest in the fight against corruption and their allusion to disobedience of court orders by the EFCC chairman is an alibi to manipulate facts around judicial pronouncements and processes to pitch the public against the Commission.

“Information available to the Commission indicates that the group is sponsored by persons under investigation by the Commission and have been mobilised and mandated by their paymaster to embarrass the person of the chairman through choreographed street protests across the country until he is removed from office.

“It is significant that this group found its voice after the EFCC launched an investigation into the mindless footing of the treasury of one of the states. This same group shouted that the Commission lacked the power to investigate the theft of the state’s resources. Their latest dance in the market square came a few hours after family members of a sitting state governor were arraigned at an Abuja court for allegedly stealing the state’s funds.

“EFCC appeals to the public to disregard the campaign by this group as they do not represent the genuine interest of millions of Nigerians who are desirous of seeing progress in the fight against Corruption. The spectre of rented crowd, rented CSOs, etc are blights in our social fabric and manifest demonstration of how deep seated corruption has permeated every sector of our society

“We want to assure Nigerians that the EFCC will but be distracted by this campaign of calumny as we believe that this agenda will fail.”

Bawa however, explained why he did not obey a court order that committed him to prison for contempt.

According to him, the Commission believed it was denied fair hearing and as a law abiding institution, had approached the appellate court for a stay of execution.

He however, did not say whether the stay of execution had been granted to forestall the order for his arrest by the Inspector-General of Police.

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The Commission explained, “It is also important to reassure Nigerians and all stakeholders that the Commission has never, and will not take any steps to undermine the judiciary.

“As a law-abiding institution, EFCC has conducted all its activities within the ambit of the law, where judicial decisions were made against it. It has never resorted to self-help but availed itself of remedies under the law as it did in the instant case of committal orders of the court.

“It is important to revisit the circumstances of the two orders of committal against the EFCC Chairman The first order by an FCT High Court on November 8, 2022, was issued over the failure to comply with a November 21st, 2018 order of the court directing the Commission to return seized assets comprising a Range Rover SUV and the sum of N40,000,000,00 (Forty Million Naira to the applicant.

“For the benefit of the public, the said order of the FCT High Court was given three years before Abdulrasheed Bawa became EFCC Chairman. Also, the contempt process is quasi-criminal in nature and must be served on the person involved. In this case, Bawa as chairman of the EFCC was neither served Form 48 nor Form 49.

“Despite this fact, the Executive Chairman, upon being made aware of the said order of November 21, 2018, had released the Range Rover in question to the Applicant on the 27th of June, 2022 and had approved the process of the release of the remaining N40m before the committal order was issued

“His action does not show contempt for the court or the judiciary which he holds in great esteem.

“In the case of the last order by Justice RO. Ayoola of the Kogi State High Court, the processes are still ongoing so I am constrained to make categorical statements. Suffice it to say that in invoking Form 49, the court failed to take cognizance of a pending appeal of its ruling of November 30, which directed the Commission to produce fraud suspect, Ali Bello, It also failed to transit records of appeal to the Court of Appeal

“The Commission believes it was denied a fair hearing as the alleged infringement of the rights of the applicant happened in Abuja which is outside the jurisdiction of the Kogi High court.

“As a law-abiding institution, EFCC, approached the appellate court, for a stay of execution. This is a valid and lawful remedy law and does not evoke any aura of impunity or disregard for the judiciary.

“It is therefore evident that those claiming that Bawa has a penchant for Booting court orders are simply up to mischief, which is clearly the central theme of the plot by the so-called civil society group.”