EFCC Reveals Those Behind Plot To Remove Bawa As Chairman

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alleged that corrupt politicians under investigation are behind the plot to remove its Executive Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, from office.

The Commssion said the accused desperate politicians are hell-bent on frustrating investigation into the looting of the treasury of a state.

Bawa, who was represented at a press briefing in Abuja by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said the anti-graft agency would not relent on going after corrupt politicians.

Uwujaren refuted claims by a Civil Society Organization that the Commission disobeyed court orders multiple times, saying the agency has never, and will not take any steps to undermine the judiciary.

Uwujaren also denied allegations that the anti-graft agency has derailed from its mission and was now politicised, saying that the Commission would not be distracted by the campaign of calumny sponsored by desperate politicians against it.

He, therefore, urged Nigerians to ignore protests by the faceless and amorphous group bankrolled by those under investigation with a view to inciting the public and discrediting the Commission.

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.”