Bawa’s EFCC Must Deliver Balanced Fight Against Corruption — Rafsanjani

Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa has a new charge some hours into his new job as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.

Mr Bawa, 40, whose appointment was confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday, replaces Ibrahim Magu, who was suspended in June 2020.

Bawa’s new job is to place the commission in a position of strength to fight financial crimes and corruption in the country. A civil society organisation says any such fight against corruption in the country must be balanced and fair.

And to do this, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, says he must rid the commission of the same political influences that are frustrating the successful management of anti-graft and law enforcement agencies across the country.

“We at CISLAC/Transparency International (TI) hold the opinion that the insulation of the commission from vested interests is very fundamental in the fight against corruption,” Mr Rafsanjani, CISLAC’s Executive Director, said in a press statement congratulating Bawa on his new appointment.

Mr Rafsanjani recognises that inadequate remuneration to staff of the commission can lead many to compromises and enjoins Mr Bawa to put measures in place to this effect. Rafsanjani asks that staff who abuse their office are promptly investigated and sanctioned in line with existing laws of the commission.

Bawa’s new methods to ensure a better EFCC, Rafsanjani says, should include cooperation with sister anti-graft agencies and thorough investigation of cases before court filing to “ensure sufficient utilization of scarce resources.”

Finally, Bawa is enjoined to readily provide information to the public and non-state actors like the media and civil society organizations in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

“By doing this, he will make the fight against corruption a collective effort with increased participation by citizens,” Rafsanjani added.