By Dipo Olowookere
A letter has been forwarded to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa as the substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said Mr Bawa is armed with a B.Sc degree in Economics and Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy.
The presidency also said the 40-year-old Mr Bawa was one of the pioneer EFCC Cadet Officers in 2005 and has undergone several specialised trainings in different parts of the world.
It was further disclosed that the nominee is a trained EFCC investigator with vast experience in the investigation and prosecution of Advance Fee Fraud cases, official corruption, bank fraud, money laundering, and other economic crimes.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa as substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),” Mr Adesina said.
He disclosed that this development was “in accordance with Paragraph 2(3) of Part1, CAP E1 of EFCC Act 2004.”
The position became vacant after Mr Buhari suspended Mr Ibrahim Magu on July 7, 2020. He assumed the office on November 9, 2015, just about five months after the President was sworn-in to lead the country.
Mr Buhari later nominated Mr Magu as the substantive Chairman of the commission, but it was rejected more than once because of a report from the State Security Service (SSS) indicting him.
He was later removed after a panel was instituted by the federal government to look into some allegations against him and was then replaced by Mr Muhammed Umar in an acting capacity.
