By Olusegun Olanrewaju and Linus Aleke
In a similar fashion to the embattled governor of Nigeria’s central bank, Godwin Emefiele, the rock fell hard yesterday on the Chairman of one of Nigeria’s apex anti-graft bodies, the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa.
Bawa has been ordered by President Bola Tinubu to proceed on an indefinite suspension over alleged acts of abuse of office and ‘gross misconduct’.
The marching order represents the icing on the cake of the recent woes that beset the youthful head of the anti-corruption body, whose organisation has only just survived a spat with the nation’s secret service, the Department of State Services (DSS), over some publicly-unstated issues.
A statement by the Director of Information at the Office to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Willie Bassey, yesterday informed that Bawa has been suspended over some allegations of abuse of office leveled against him.
The terse statement on behalf of the newly elected added that the suspension takes immediate effect and directed Bawa to hand over the affairs of his office to the Director of Operations in the EFCC.
*Investigation commences as Bawa directed handover to Director of Operations
The statement read, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the indefinite suspension from office of Mr AbdulRasheed Bawa, CON, as the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.
“This follows weighty allegations of abuse of office leveled against him.
“Mr Bawa has been directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Director, of Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission, pending the conclusion of the investigation.”
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Like Emefiele, Bawa’s suspension came five days after President Tinubu approved the suspension of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor.
The Federal Government had predicated Emefiele’s suspension on an ongoing investigation, as well as a planned reform of the financial sector.
Recall that the head of the Nigerian apex bank, CBN, had also had a raw deal with the secret service on his activities in the saddle before he rammed into the stormwater with some financial reforms in the recent past.
Emefiele’s suspension had been confirmed by Willie Bassey, the Director, Information, for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
The new SGF had stated, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has suspended the Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, CFR, from office with immediate effect.
“This is a sequel to the ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy.
“Emefiele has been directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), who will act as the Central Bank Governor pending the conclusion of the investigation and the reforms.”
In the absence of what constitutes the premise(s) of what constitutes the magnitude of ‘sins’ that webbed the anti-graft warrior, the searchlight is being beamed on what constitutes the issue(s) surrounding the axe.
It is not immediately known if Bawa’s latest travail trails the issues surrounding the recent improvement in the financial markets in the wake of activities surrounding the nation’s financial and capital markets, following Emefiele’s sack, especially improvement in the value of the nation’s currency, the Naira.
However, sources say the records of the suspended EFCC boss speak volumes that could trigger a tsunami in appointments, too good to be ignored by a new government under pressure to perform.
*Embattled Bawa in DSS custody for interrogation
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services, DSS, has invited the suspended chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
This was conveyed in a statement late yesterday by the spokesperson of the service, Dr Peter Afunanya.
The statement read, “The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Bawa arrived a few hours ago. The invitation relates to some investigative activities concerning him.”
*The past ‘sins’ of Bawa
Office of the Senate President.
It was learnt that the leadership of the Senate, the Presidency, and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation were holding talks as to how to address the issue to avoid a repeat of the last screening exercise where the then-nominee, Ibrahim Magu, was rejected twice by the Senate.
Bawa believed to be a kinsman of the AGF, Abubakar Malami (SAN), was reportedly aided by his closeness to the then minister to have played a major role in the removal of Magu and reportedly recommended Bawa’s appointment to ex-President Buhari.
A member of the pioneer Course 1 of the EFCC Cadet Officers, Bawa, as a Level 13 officer, was considered too junior to hold the office of the chairman, also considering his age and status. The EFCC Act stated that in appointing a chairman of the commission, such an appointee must be at least an Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent.
The EFCC Act, however, may not have envisaged that a member of the core staff of the EFCC would become chairman and does not state what the equivalent of an Assistant Commissioner of Police would be in the EFCC cadre.
Bawa, who joined the EFCC in 2005, has been in service for 15 years and is believed to be a seasoned detective. However, there has been controversy over what the equivalent of a Level 13 officer in the EFCC would be in the police.
