Newly appointed Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Bawa Abdulrasheed has revealed that he’s been facing series of death threat from corrupt politicians following the anti-graft fight.
Bawa who appeared as a guest on Channels TV programme, SUNRISE DAILY; explained that he got to know last week that a corrupt politician had threatened to kill him following his stern clamp down on corruption.
Bawa said, “Last week, I was in New York, as all Nigerians are aware of. A very senior citizen received a phone call from somebody that is not even under investigation.
“What he (the caller) said to him on phone is that; he is going to kill the EFCC chairman, the young man. He said, ‘I am going to kill him. I am going to kill him’. This is to tell you how bad it is. It is actually real. Corruption can fight back.”
The EFCC boss noted that though corruption has eaten into every fabric of the country, but the war was winnable as it can be curbed.
Bawa further revealed that the reason the anti-graft war was still looking bleak was because 90-100% of the looted funds were laundered into real estate by these corrupt politicians.
He said, ”one of the problems we have in this country now is the real estate. 90 to 100 per cent of the resources are being laundered through real estate.
“Although they are being regulated, that is not enough in terms of how they make their returns to the special control unit against money laundering.
“A lot of issues that we can talk all day about but I think this particular area if we get it right, you will see that it will not be fashionable for us to have these grand scale corruption.”
Continuing, Bawa noted, “I am very optimistic we will succeed in taming the monster of corruption in this country. I am very optimistic and with the efforts of the government.
One of the cardinal principles of the President’s administration is to fight corruption and we in the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies saddled with this responsibility, we are doing our best and trying to curtail it.”
“Nigeria is a very religious country and that is why one of the issues that we do in public enlightenment is to engage with leaders of religious bodies.
“We are soon going to launch our interface with the Christian and Islamic communities to engage them on the ills of corruption. We have already designed the manual for that.” He added
However, the Kebbi state born detective and law enforcement agent was appointed as substantive chairman in replacement of Umar Mohammed Abba in February, 16 and was on February, 24 confirmed by the National Assembly
The 41 years old was officially inaugurated as the Executive Chairman of the agency after the former acting Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu was removed.
