Abdulrasheed Bawa, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says under his leadership, the anti-graft agency will be proactive in fighting corruption.
Bawa was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in February and was subsequently confirmed as the substantive chairman of the EFCC by the senate.
Speaking on Friday when he officially assumed office, Bawa pledged to steer the commission towards proactive and intelligence-led investigations.
He said he would create a full-fledged directorate of intelligence that would spearhead intelligence gathering, which will ensure a dynamic response in the fight against corruption.
Bawa also promised a paradigm shift in the agency’s approach to anti-graft war, which will focus on fighting corruption, not persons.
“We are going to digitalise our processes, and we are going to create a new full-pledged directorate of intelligence to enable us gather intelligence so that we will be proactive in our fight against economic and financial crimes; and by so doing, we will also provide the government with necessary quality advice that will lead to good governance,” Wilson Uwujaren, EFFC spokesman, quoted him as saying.
“There is a difference between fighting corruption and fighting corrupt people; and going forward, we are going to be proactive in our approach in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
“For our strategic partners across the shores of this country, we will continue to work together with you. We will continue to share intelligence, to see that the stolen wealth of this country is returned for the betterment of us all.
“But all of these, we will be doing it the way the EFCC is known to be doing its things. The provisions of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, extant laws of the country, have always been and will always be our guide.”
Bawa is taking over from Mohammed Umar who has been in acting capacity since July 2020 after the suspension of Ibrahim Magu, former acting chairman, over allegations of corruption.
In his handing over remarks, Umar expressed confidence that Bawa will effectively discharge his duties.
“I am particularly delighted to be handing over the affairs of the commission to Bawa. He is an officer with whom I have enjoyed close working relationship, and who contributed immensely to our collective efforts in the war against economic and financial crimes,” Umar said.
“I have no doubt that he will do well and enjoin all staff to accord him the same support that I have received over the last seven months.”