The Concerned Northern Forum (CNF) has backed the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Abdulrasheed Bawa, in the fight against corruption, insisting that smear campaign against him by “corrupt elements” cannot stand.
The group, in a press statement by its Chairman, Muhammad Sanni, Monday in Abuja, decried the fact that the media has been awash with calls for Bawa’s resignation over “unsubstantiated allegation of corruption.”
Sanni stated that the allegations were not true, and lacked evidence, as they were mostly twisted to misinform the general public by those who are afraid the eagle eyes of the EFCC was coming for them for embezzlement and misuse of public funds.
He called out the Governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle, over claims that the anti-graft agency boss demanded a bribe of $2 million dollars from him.
“This is fallacious; otherwise, Matawalle would have provided supporting evidence for his allegations.
“No evidence is presented, because this is a fabricated concoction, and an effort by Matawalle to divert the attention of the public from the ongoing investigation on him over allegations of corruption, award of phantom contracts and diversion of over N70 billion. This is a known strategy by corrupt individuals to avoid a date with the law.
“Not relenting in their efforts, these same set of criminals accused Mallam Bawa of colluding with some top government shots to trade favours, this is false, does not conform to the ways and operations of the EFCC chief and there is no shred of any evidence in this world to back this allegation,” the Forum said.
The forum further stated, “As for the holy journey he embarked on, the public service rule does not exempt him from doing so. The way and manner he travelled should not be a centre of gossip, since the EFCC chairman is financially capable of sponsoring the trip without any compromise.”
Continuing, Sanni noted that, “Another allegation is the purported auctioning of seized trucks to his proxies at an undeserving price. The EFCC has since issued a statement denying reports that he was arrested and detained by the agency under former Chairman.
“Worthy of note is the fact that Mr Bawa was never assigned to that particular task and it was done when he had already left the Port Harcourt zonal office.
“With respect to the rule of law, Mallam Bawa is a Nigerian detective and law enforcement agent and thus understands and respects the rule of law with full regard. The allegations that he disobeyed a court order was as shocking to him as it was to the general public because it was not served to him but to his predecessor in 2018. Also, Mallam Abdulrasheed was neither served form 48 nor form 49.
“Despite this fact, the EFCC Chairman did not hesitate, but immediately responded to the said order of November 21, 2018, released the Range Rover in question to the Applicant on June 27, 2022, and had approved the process of the release of the remaining N40 million.
“Mallam Bawa is a man of honour, full of integrity and believes in pursuing only what is right, irrespective of whose interest is at stake. He performs his job diligently, with passion and dedication.
“The sponsors of these smear campaigns are first jealous of the milestones achieved by Mallam Bawa as the youngest and the only career chairman of the commission. He has been part of the prosecution of Advance Fee Fraud, official corruption, bank fraud, money laundery and other related crimes. Secondly, they are afraid because they have skeletons in their closets.”
The group urged Nigerians not to be derailed by the ongoing protests and social media campaigns against Mallam Bawa, maintaining that: “They are cheap blackmail, orchestrated lies, sponsored by corrupt individuals who seek to avoid investigation and subsequently face the wrath of the law.”
