Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, finds himself in the midst of a corruption scandal as Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS), reportedly recovers over N580 million (Nigerian Naira) from him. Bawa has been held in DSS custody since June 2023 after being removed from his position by President Bola Tinubu.
According to reliable sources, the recovered funds are believed to have been acquired illegally during Bawa’s tenure as the head of the anti-graft agency. It is alleged that he misappropriated these funds for personal gain. One source mentioned, “Over N580 million has been retrieved from the incarcerated former chairman of the EFCC.”
This development has put immense pressure on the DSS to either release Bawa or charge him with the offenses that their investigation has uncovered. President Tinubu took the step to suspend Bawa indefinitely as the chairman of the EFCC in June, citing the need for a thorough investigation into his conduct while in office. Weighty allegations of abuse of power were leveled against Bawa, leading to his removal.
Bawa was swiftly taken into custody by the DSS on June 14, just hours after his suspension, and has since remained detained. The length of his detention without formal charges being brought against him has drawn criticism from multiple quarters. In August, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) threatened legal action against President Tinubu’s administration due to the continued detention of Bawa by the DSS without proper arraignment.
Additionally, Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, expressed his disapproval of President Tinubu’s administration’s handling of Bawa’s case, highlighting the prolonged detention of both Bawa and the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, without a fair trial.
The situation surrounding the former EFCC chairman continues to unfold, with implications not only for Bawa but also for the reputation of Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts. As the investigation progresses, Nigerians eagerly await further developments and the resolution of this high-profile case.
