Fighting corruption will be intelligence-driven, says Bawa

THE new Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has promised a paradigm shift in the commission’s approach to anti-graft war.

Bawa said the focus of the commission, under his watch, would be shifted from fighting corrupt persons to fighting corruption.

He also said the agency would create an intelligence directorate to steer it towards proactive and intelligence-led investigation.

Bawa made this disclosure while taking the reins of leadership of the organisation from the outgoing Acting Chairman of the agency, Mohammed Umar Abba, yesterday.

He said, “There is 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.”

He added, “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.”

Bawa affirmed that the anti-graft agency would adhere to the rule of law.

“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 country have always been and will always be our guide,” he said.

The chairman also pledged to prioritise staff welfare, stressing that he would work on it and seek government’s support.

“We know the problems and God willing, we are going to solve these problems,” he assured.

Earlier in his handing over remarks, the out-going Acting Chairman of the Commission, Mohammed Umar Abba, congratulated the new chairman for a well-deserved appointment and wished him well in his new assignment.

“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.

“I have no doubt that he will do well. I enjoin all staff to accord him the same support that I have received over the last seven months,” he said.

Umar, who also thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for giving him the opportunity to lead the commission, albeit in acting capacity, disclosed that under his watch, the commission prosecuted 804 cases and obtained a total of 583 convictions.

He added that substantial recovery running into billions of naira was made while various assets were equally forfeited through interim or final order of court.