Why President Tinubu Suspended EFCC Chairman, Bawa

By Adesina Soyooye

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has fallen under the sledge hammer of President Bola Tinubu.

The President suspended Bawa indefinitely Wednesday evening with immediate effect.

A statement from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, signed by William Bassey to the effect reads:

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the indefinitely suspension from office of Mr AbdulRasheed Bawa, CON, as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.

“This follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.

“Mr Bawa has been directed to hand over the affairs of his office to Director, Operations, in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission, pending the conclusion of the investigation.”

Bawa is the second high profile official from the Muhammadu Buhari Government suspended by President Tinubu. The first was the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele.

Recall that the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, had accused Bawa of asking him for bribe to the tune of two million US Dollars to stop an investigation against him, an allegation Bawa denied.

The suspended EFCC Chairman was also accused of spending millions of Dollars on a trip to Saudi Arabia with all members of his family for a religious obligation. They all, allegedly stayed at the posh Sheraton Hotels.

Bawa was appointed by Buhari on February 24, 2021 to succeed Ibrahim Magu who was eased out by Buhari after he was suspended. Magu retired from the Police as an Assistant Inspector General of Police.