Anti-graft war: There’ll be no sacred cows – EFCC Chairman, Bawa, vows in US *Asks Nigerians in Diaspora to shun cyber-crime
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has assured that there are no sacred cows as far as the anti-graft war in Nigeria is concerned.
Bawa, who is in New York, United States of America, representing Nigeria at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on corruption also appealed to Nigerians in Diaspora to shun cybercrimes as it is seriously tarnishing the image of the country.
The youthful anti-graft Czar, in a chat with journalists in New York, said that the EFCC has been investigating and prosecuting all categories of people and would continue to do so without exception, stressing that the laws are meant for all.
He said that many corruption cases are currently being investigated while others are at different stages of prosecution, noting, however, that there are some factors that have been hindering speedy disposition of the cases.
Some of these factors, he said, are the high volume of cases being assigned to grossly inadequate judges, issues with the procedure laws that need to be straightened, the necessity for more designated judges as provided for in the EFCC Establishment Act, and the need for the Bar to improve on how they sanction their erring members.
Bawa, who admitted that there is no country without the corruption virus, stressed that the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is doing a lot in the fight against the monster.
He said that since he assumed office, there has been more emphasis on intelligence driven anti-corruption crusade, insisting that it was far better to stop corruption than to fight it. Towards this end, he said that he has established a full-fledged intelligence department in the agency.
Also as part of efforts to change the attitude of Nigerians towards corrupt practices, the agency was relaunching the inter-faith dialogue, involving the leadership of Moslem and Christian religions, through developing of manuals to be distributed to adherents of both religions on the ills of corruption.
He also said that there are integrity clubs in National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps, in tertiary institutions and such other places, the focus being to “catch them young.”
According to him, the war against corruption is now being fought, vigorously at both the levels of attitudinal change and law enforcement.
He equally noted that his leadership was massively embracing the use of technology and strengthening the operation of the Assets Recovery Department for optimal efficiency, pointing out that as soon as the Committee set up for disposal of assets forfeited to the Federal Government completes its assignment, EFCC would begin on a clean slate, a case by case handling of all other such forfeited assets.
Counseling Nigerians in Diaspora further, the EFCC Chief Executive noted that they should realize that they are the ones flying the country’s flag abroad and should, therefore, be more patriotic, stressing that they should respect, trust and pray for the nation’s leaders.
Bawa, who is the face of youths in the Buhari government, said that he would work hard to be remembered as a good man who contributed positively to the development of the country.
