A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of Civil Society Groups for Good Governance (CSGGG) has rallied support for the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, urging him to ignore smear campaign against the commission by individuals and groups allegedly sponsored by corrupt politicians.
Convener of the coalition, consisting of over 30 CSOs, Dominic Ogakwu, while addressing a press conference, Tuesday in Abuja, urged Bawa to resist the plot to remove him, as he also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore calls for the removal of the anti-graft agency’s head.
According to him, “It is important to note that in 2015, the commission recorded about 103 convictions, 195 in 2016, 312 in 2018 and 1280 in 2019. It dropped to 976 in 2020, largely due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
“It wasn’t just about convictions as over $121 million worth of assets were forfeited to the federal government. In the same period, €156,925, ¥21,350 CFA300,000, 52 automobiles, one motorcycle, 57 electronic gadgets, 78 pieces of clothing were also recovered. With monetary recoveries for the year under review, from January 1 to October 31, 2022, put at N134,337,759,574.
“The Bawa-led leadership has not just been about arrests and prosecutions, but advocacy and sensitisation on the damaging effect of crime and criminality to schools, youth-focused groups and religious centres. This has led to greater awareness and aversion to Yahoo-Yahoo and get-quick-rich syndrome.
“The EFCC has been at the centre of ensuring the seamless implementation of the cashless policy of the federal government as unscrupulous bankers hoard new naira notes meant for Nigerians. The EFCC has continued to burst the illegitimate stashing by some bank managers and bringing them to justice.
“With barely some days to the general elections, we have noted the doggedness of the anti-graft agency to ensure that Nigerians elect their leaders without vote-buying by some unscrupulous politicians, hence, the ill-conceived, poorly executed call being sponsored by some governors and their presidential candidate against the EFCC chairman.
“Those who have stashed the stolen patrimony of the people can gather all their tout-like, mushrooms of slanderers, and falsehood peddlers, but they know that they are being watched and all their efforts amount to nothing.”
Speaking further, the convener said, “We wish to use this medium to call on Nigerians to ignore the no-good fellows and their paymasters. Nigerians are fully and determinedly backing the EFCC under Abdulrasheed Bawa to tackle corruption, illicit financial flows, money laundry and other financial crimes.
“In the fight against corruption, we urge the EFCC boss not to retreat and not surrender, while confident that President Muhammadu Buhari will ignore the mischief makers.”