By Hillary Asemota
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday stated that the ongoing sponsored campaign of calumny through the media and street protests seeking the removal of its Chairman, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa cannot stand.
Briefing a cross section of the media in Abuja over the development, the Spokesperson for the antigraft agency, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who spoke on behalf of the Chairman debunked the orchestrated campaign purportedly geared to pull down its Chairman and to halt its ongoing war and campaign against corruption as witnessed in several parts of the country.
Recall that a national newspaper, had reported that over 100 CSOs on Monday marched on Lagos streets demanding for removal of the EFCC chair on alleged policitisation of the agency and disobedience of Court Orders.
While reacting to the report, the EFCC boss said: “The agency wishes to raise the alarm about the activities of an amorphous group of so-called Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) 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.”
He reiterated that 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, he added.
While dismissing the group, he said they have no interest in the fight against corruption, explaining that 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 mobilized 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 looting 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. He said.
On the alleged disobedience to court order, Bawa assured that the Commission has never, and will not take any steps to undermine the judiciary, adding that 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 court, EFCC boss, averred.
Bawa, however explained that it is important to revisit the circumstances of the two orders of committal against the EFCC Chairman, adding that 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 to the applicant.
He said: “For the benefit of the public, the said order of the FCT High Court was given three years before he (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 21st, 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.”
Therefore, this action does not show contempt for the court or the judiciary which he holds in great esteem, the EFCC boss, added.
He added: “In the case of the last order by Justice R.O. Ayoola of the Kogi State High Court, the processes are still ongoing so I am constrained to make categorical statements. Suffice is 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 a fraud suspect, one Ali Bello. It also failed to transmit records of appeal to the Court of Appeal.
“The Commission believes it was denied 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 by 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 flouting court orders are simply up to mischief, which is clearly the central theme of the plot by the so- called civil society group.”