A northern group, operating as Concerned Northern Forum, CNF, has urged the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, not to relent in his avowed war against corruption in the country.
The group tasked Bawa to remain steadfast and not be swayed by antics of some corrupt persons in office whose aim is to distract him from performing constitutional mandate.
This came as the stewardship of the EFCC boss has been subjected to public scrutiny following some allegations of corruption against him in some quarters.
Recall that Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State had accused Bawa, of demanding $2 million bribe from him, an allegation that has been dismissed by the commission.
The CNF in a statement on Monday by its chairman, Muhammad Sanni, in Abuja, said the various allegations of corruption against the EFCC boss were “absurd, planned and executed by certain corrupt individuals to smear the chairman of the commission and distract him from fighting against corruption and other related financial crimes.”
Sanni insisted that the “allegations are not true, lack evidence, mostly twisted to misinform the general public,” and “circulated around by those who are afraid the eagle eyes of the EFCC are coming for them over embezzlement and misuse of public funds.”
According to Sanni, Governor Matawalle’s was without substance, “otherwise he would have provided supporting evidence for his allegations.
“No evidence is presented because it is fabricated, a 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.”
On Bawa’s Hajj to the Mecca, the CNF chairman argued that it was not against public service rule, and given that Bawa was financially capable of sponsoring the trip without any compromise with respect to his job, it shouldn’t be an issue.
The group described the ongoing allegations as smear campaigns by those who are not only jealous of the milestones achieved by Bawa as the youngest and the only career chairman of the commission, but because they have skeletons in their closets.
Sanni charged Nigerians not to be drawn into public protests or social media campaigns against the EFCC boss as doing so will send a wrong signal to the international community that Nigeria was home to corrupt practices.
