The Arewa Civil Society Organisation (ACSO) has applauded the suspension of Abdulrasheed Bawa, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Bawa was suspended from office on Tuesday by President Bola Tinubu for alleged questionable activities.
In a statement on Thursday in Kaduna, Adamu Aminu Musa, chairman of the ACSO said, Bawa’s suspension from office was long overdue.
The group accused the former EFCC chairman for alleged “abuse of powers and engaging in various corrupt practices.”
The group said, “As chairman of the EFCC, Bawa failed to comply with section 6 of the establishment Act 2004, which empowers the EFCC to combat economic and financial crimes…
“Suspending him is the first step towards making things right in the fight against corruption”.
Musa said, ACSO had been vindicated for its earlier calls for the removal of Bawa.
“Now the President has listened, this is very courageous and exemplary, and we must commend him for taking this bold and courageous”, he said.
The group alleged that “Bawa was never sincere in his fight against corruption”, adding that he was “selectively picking those to be investigated while allowing the bigger fishes to walk around scot free. “
The statement added that “Bawa was a mistake, he was just witch hunting on the orders the orders of his godfather…
“In 2021, Bawa’s witch hunting hands were extended to the doorsteps of President Tinubu himself who was the then National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). “If not for divine intervention that brought President Tinubu to power, Bawa would have completely succeeded in dragging Tinubu’s personality to the mud.”
The statement said whatever crimes Bawa committed, he could not have committed them alone, “therefore his co-perpetrators, should also be invited for questioning by the DSS.”
The group said the EFCC under Bawa, “lost its credibility and bearing … “
The statement advised the President to embark on holistic overhaul of the commission to restore confidence in Nigerians.
The group urged Abdulkarim Chukkol, acting chairman of the commission, to obey all court orders and restore dignity and normalcy to the commission”.
