….Asks IGP to arrest EFCC boss, commit him to prison
IDRIS AHMED, LOKOJA.
Kogi State Government has accused the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, of baseless fixation on the state’s affairs with spurious allegations in a bid to satisfy certain political interests.
The state government said it was sad that an agency charged with the responsibility of fighting graft in the country had turned itself into a pawn in the hands of political opponents of the Kogi State Government with untamed desperation to damage the integrity of the Governor and the Government of the State.
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello
In a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Honourable Kingsley Fanwo, made available to Journalists on Monday in Lokoja, described the activities of the anti graft agency as “shadow chasing,” being sposored by known and unknown persons with the objective to distract the Yahaya Bello administration from serving the people.
The statement, titled, “EFCC has become an embarrassment to Nigeria”, called on the Inspector-General of Police to immediately effect the arrest of Bawa and commit him to prison as ruled by a competent court.
“Allowing convicts to roam about the society portends a great danger to our judicial system. Rasheed Bawa cannot be allowed to continue to disobey Court Orders at will while also evading justice. Let justice be done,” the statement said.
The Commissioner also alleged that the EFCC was known for media trial and that no amount of such would distract Governor Yahaya Bello from recording more successes in the state.
“The latest shenanigans of the EFCC is to accuse some members of the Governor’s family of corruption, arrest them without any prior invitation or warrant and against extant Court Orders restraining them from so doing and charge them to court. This has further exposed the uncivilised, unconstitutional and unethical practices of the anti graft agency.
” Their latest approach has further confirmed to Nigerians that they have an institutional agenda against the Governor and Government of Kogi State,” he said.
EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa
According to him, Nigerians are wiser now and they know when an operation is politically motivated.
“We reiterate that funds belonging to the Kogi State Government are not missing and we retain our enviable status in the areas of transparency, accountability and probity.
“The seeming attack on Governors that are committed to the victory of the APC Presidential Candidate by the anti-graft agency is well understood by discerning Nigerians. No force can stop the voice of the people,” the statement said.
