Connect with us

Crime & Court

Bawa outlines his vision for the EFCC

Published

on

The newly confirmed Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdurasheed Bawa has revealed his vision for the anti graft agency.

The EFCC Chief promised to lead the anti- corruption agency by example and cut down discretion in the conduct of its affairs through institutionalizing a Standard Operating Procedure.

According to him,”What I envisage the EFCC to do is to ensure that we work on our own Standard Operational Procedure, to improve on our Standard Operational Procedures so much so that, all that is expected of us is written down somewhere in a document to curtail the use of discretion from the office of the Executive Chairman down to the ordinary investigator.

“We are looking forward to an EFCC whereby I as the Executive Chairman if I give an instruction to a junior officer, he will look at my face and say, Sir I understand your instruction but I will not be able to do it because of so and so Section governing the rules and regulations of the EFCC”.

He also stated that he was interested in establishing synergy with other law enforcement organizations, both nationally and internationally, and aggressively pursue the repatriation of seized assets.

“I have talked on the issue of synergy between the EFCC and sister security agencies in the country as well as the work I envisage to do together with our foreign strategic partners. We are going to work on that, we are going to strengthen it. The EFCC is not a lone ranger, we are going to reach out. The job of fighting economic and financial crimes is for everybody to be on board, and we will ensure that because we don’t have monopoly of knowledge.”

ALSO READ  Nigeria: Presidential aspirant, Moghalu calls for restructuring

The new EFCC boss further expressed his desire to upgrade the skills of staff of the Commission through training, while also seeking the support of the lawmakers by way of appropriation.

In his words, “regarding the issue of repositioning, I have talked about processes and procedures and the law, but the backbone of every organization is its human resource. I hope and pray that we will still come back to this chamber for proper appropriation to enable us build the capacity of our staff at the EFCC and to meet up with the current challenges and new typologies of crime as well as trends in money laundering so that, at the end of the day, our vision of ridding this country of economic and financial crimes is actualized”.

On the vexed issue of management of recovered assets, the new EFCC Chairman said that going forward, the Commission will be more transparent and accountable, and  ensure that finally forfeited assets are disposed of immediately instead of leaving them dormant.

He equally pledged to work with the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Disposal of Federal Government Forfeited Assets, to ensure the success of their assignment, while also pursuing a programme of digitalization to guarantee the fidelity of assets record.

“We have, of course, the lingering problem or issues bothering on management of assets, etc. We will embark on the digitalization of the processes in the EFCC. In essence, what I am saying is that we are going to embrace technology to enable us keep our records properly so that anytime Nigerians are asking questions, it will just be a matter of pressing a button”,  Bawa continued.

ALSO READ  Popular socialite, Obi Cubana in EFCC net

In answer to a question, Bawa dispelled the allegation of illegally selling forfeited properties during his time as Head of the Port Harcourt Office of the Commission.

“I never sold a single truck at the Port Harcourt office, the head office handled that at the time.

“Anybody that is familiar with the processes of the EFCC knows that the chairman doesn’t have the power to sell an asset but the secretary of the agency. The former secretary and two directors came from the head office to conduct the sale”, he explained.

The EFCC boss assured that he would live to the expectation of the appointing authorities and teeming Nigerian youths who now look up to him as a model and ambassador.

“I am not unaware of the fact that my nomination has caused a lot of hope for millions of youths around the country, I want to state here that I am going to give them a good representation in the governance of this country so that at the end of the day, more youths will be given huge responsibilities in this country.

“Let me thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for finding me competent and deserving as the chairman of the EFCC and to also assure him and indeed Nigerians that the confidence he has in me will be proven beyond doubt at the end of my term in office,” he stated.

ALSO READ  Akala rubbishes RUWASSA's claim, says I procured 33 borehole drillers as governor

Bawa who is a certified fraud examiner and member of the prestigious America -based Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, has also been trained by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI and the UK National Crime Agency.

As the fourth executive chairman of the EFCC, he is the first core staff of the Commission to occupy the office.

 

By Idowu Ayodele 

Photo credit : Channels TV

Advertisement
Comments

Crime & Court

EFCC Nabs Five for Illegal Solid Mineral Transportation Without Licenses

Published

on

By

Operatives from the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended five individuals for their involvement in the possession and conveyance of three truckloads of various solid minerals without the necessary licenses.

In a statement released on Tuesday, EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, identified the suspects as Dauda Suleiman, Quadri Oladimeji, Abubakar Alhassan, Anas Sanusi, and Auwal Garba. Among them, Suleiman, Alhassan, and Sanusi were operating as truck drivers, while Oladimeji and Garba served as truck boys.

The arrests, carried out along Maraba road in Ilorin, Kwara state, and Ogbomosho, Oyo state, between March 21 and 22, 2024, were made possible through credible intelligence and surveillance efforts.

The suspects were caught transporting solid minerals, suspected to include marble stone, white powder, lithium, and lepidolite, to Shagamu and Alakija in Ogun and Lagos States for commercial purposes, despite lacking the required licenses. They claim to have been hired for the task.

The trucks seized from the suspects were identified as carrying the registration numbers JJJ 206 YG (Lagos), T24413 LA (Lagos), and KNT 635 XP (Niger), respectively.

This incident marks another crackdown by the EFCC on individuals engaged in illegal mining activities within the country.

ALSO READ  #EndSARS: The Melancholic Beats Of A Two-Faced Drum | By Wole Adejumo

Previously, on February 5, the agency arrested 41 individuals suspected of illegal mining in Ilorin and impounded 12 truckloads of assorted minerals mined without licenses. With this recent arrest, the total number of individuals apprehended stands at 46, with 15 vehicles seized in the last month for similar offenses.

According to the statement, the suspects will face prosecution in court once investigations are concluded.

Continue Reading

Crime & Court

NDLEA Seizes Over 44,948.1kg of Illicit Drugs In Lagos, Edo, Ondo

Published

on

By

In a crackdown on drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) disclosed the seizure of a staggering 44,948.1 kilograms of illicit drugs across Lagos, Edo, and Ondo states.

Alongside the confiscations, eight suspects were apprehended during the operations, revealed Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, on Sunday.

The anti-narcotics agency disclosed that it also impounded 11 vehicles owned by drug cartels as part of the enforcement efforts.

Among those arrested were five individuals, including 67-year-old Sunday Otulugbu, Agbayeogor Joshua (39), Kelvin Ofuasia (45), Williams Peter (37), and Kamaru Onimisi (44).

According to Babafemi, a substantial amount of cannabis, totaling 7,687.8 kilograms, was destroyed in a warehouse located in the Ala forest of Akure, Ondo State, with an additional 670 kilograms evacuated on Saturday, March 23.

In separate operations, significant quantities of cannabis were eradicated in the Uzebba/Avbiosi forest, leading to the arrest of Kabiru Idris (36), Alaba Jimoh (40), and Lekan Asobere (35).

Similarly, in the Okpuje forest of Owan West LGA, NDLEA operatives, with military support, razed 5,000 kilograms of the illicit substance, further intensifying the crackdown.

The agency’s efforts extended to Edo State, where a substantial 14,310.8625 kilograms of psychoactive substances were destroyed on farms spanning 5.7 hectares in the Ohosu/Ugbogui forest of Ovia South West Local Government Area on Tuesday, March 19.

ALSO READ  LAUTECH student gets 6 month Jail term over $1,200 USD love scam

Highlighting a well-coordinated operation in Lagos State on Wednesday, the NDLEA seized 10,534 kilograms (10.534 tonnes) of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, in the Ajah area. Additionally, 11 vehicles linked to the drug cartel were confiscated during the operation.

The recovered vehicles include an Iveco truck marked KRD 522 YE, Toyota Sienna vehicles marked AAA 338 GL, AAA 308 EP, and LSD 744 GP, a Nissan bus marked EKY 846 YG, a Mercedes bus marked EPE 743 XT, among others.

 

Continue Reading

Crime & Court

Nasarawa: Police Bust Suspected Internet Fraudsters’ Hideout, Arrest 10

Published

on

By

 

The Nasarawa State Police Command said it has busted a hideout belonging to suspected internet fraudsters.

DSP Ramhan Nansel, the Public Relations Officer, shared in a press release that the arrest of 10 suspects took place during a raid conducted by police operatives from the Angwan Lambu Division.

The cybercriminals’ hideout, located in the Government Reserved Area, Keffi, was targeted following extensive police efforts, resulting in the apprehension of 10 individuals involved in internet fraud, commonly known as Yahoo Plus.

Among the items seized were two laptops, 10 sophisticated mobile phones of different brands, three WIFI routers, criminal charms, black soap, and illegal substances such as Loud weed and dried leaves suspected to be marijuana.

The suspects admitted their involvement in internet fraud, as outlined in the press release. The authorities plan to charge them to court for prosecution once the investigation is concluded.

Commending the officers for their exemplary work, Commissioner of Police Umar Shehu Nadada urged them to sustain efforts in raiding criminal hideouts.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Tweets by ‎@megaiconmagg

Subscribe to our Newsletter

* indicates required

MegaIcon Magazine Facebook Page

Advertisement

MEGAICON TV

Trending