The candidate nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari to assume duties as the next Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has arrived at the Senate for screening.
As at the time of filing this report, Senate President Ahmad Lawan had ordered the distribution of the copies of Bawa’s Curriculum Vitae to all the senators to enable them to peruse the documents ahead of the screening.
If eventually confirmed, Bawa will be the first non-police officer to head the foremost Nigerian anti-graft agency. At 40 years of age, he will also be the youngest person ever to serve as EFCC Chairman.
Though his nomination by the president has been greeted with some controversies, the core EFCC staff are reportedly happy that one of their own is set to become the overall boss.
It will be recalled that Naija News previously reported that the chairman-designate has been promoted to level 14 ahead of his appearance before the Senate for his screening.
The new promotion puts him on the rank of Chief Detective Superintendent which is a major requirement for the appointment of an EFCC boss according to Section 2 of the EFCC Act.
The act states that a person who will be appointed as chairman of the commission must have at least 15 years of experience and must be the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police or its equivalent.
However, Bawa, who was last week appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to replace Ibrahim Magu was on Grade Level 13 and a Deputy Chief Detective Superintendent when he was nominated for the post.
This prompted a lawyer, Osuagwu Ugochukwu, who filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop the Senate confirmation of the chairman-designate.
The court document marked FHC/ABJ/CS/196/2021 was received at the Office of the Senate President on Thursday.
But with the new promotion, the coast is now clear for Bawa’s screening and expected confirmation by the Senate.
It was learnt that the chairman-designate and his coursemates from the pioneer Course 1 of the EFCC Cadet Officers were given promotion letters with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Tuesday, told the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, that the former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki, gave the former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode the sum of N26 million.
The commission in its statement claimed that the money was sent to Fani-Kayode who happens to be the Director of Media and Publicity of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign as at the time, but the money meant to execute some contracts was diverted.
EFCC stated this through its operative and third Prosecution Witness, Mohammed Goji, in an ongoing case against Fani-Kayode.
Goji noted that the money was sent to the former Minister in a ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ sack through his driver identified as Francis and his Personal Assistant named Victor.