EFCC Boss, Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa and NIMASA DG, Bashir Jamoh
By Our Reporter
A civic organisation, Centre for Public Accountability (CPA) and Civil Society Partners, has slammed the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdurasheed Bawa, for allegedly obstructing justice and shielding the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Mr Bashir Jamoh.
The group alleged that the EFCC, under the leadership of Mr Bawa, has refused to carry out a thorough investigation into the alleged diversion of funds, to the tune of N1.5 trillion and $9.8 million by the DG of NIMASA.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday over Bawa’s compromised stand in the case, the group and its CSO partners called on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the EFCC Chairman to allow the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to take over Jamoh’s case.
CPA alleged that Bawa’s alleged compromise in the investigation may be connected to the scholarships Mr Jamoh reportedly gave to three siblings of the EFCC Chairman, namely Mustapha Bawa Yusuf, Bawa Hassan Ibrahim and Haruna Mustapha Bawa.
The Executive Director of CPA, Olufemi Lawson, who addressed journalists, stated in the text of the address that the group views Bawa’s stands as maladministration and abuse of office.
Olufemi said, “Our focus and address today, is premised on the worrisome involvement of the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Abdurasheed Bawa, whose actions, and abuse of office, is beginning to constitute an obstruction to the cause of justice.
“We have waited till today to see if the EFCC, under the leadership of Mr Bawa, will do the needful, as challenged by DG NIMASA himself, to carry out a thorough investigation, into the allegations of diversion of funds, amounting to the tune of N1.5 trillion and $9.8 m respectively, but till date, nothing visible to Nigerians, including our independent findings, has been done by the EFCC.
“Recall that on May 21, 2021, an online newspaper, Point Blank News published an exclusive story in which the newspaper alleged that the DG of NIMASA, Mr Bashir Jamoh, was involved in some shady deals, ranging from blatant corruption and abuse of office.
“We were pleasantly surprised when the accused Mr Bahir Jamoh openly challenged the EFCC to investigate him and make public his findings.”
Olufemi said regrettably, after more than a year, it has become a hide-and-seek game, as nothing has been heard, from the EFCC.
