Abdulrasheed Bawa: FG Must Resist Foreign Accusation of Re-looting Recovered Funds

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Funmi Ogundare in Lagos

A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, yesterday argued that the federal government must resist accusations by the international community that monies recovered by the anti-graft agency are usually re-looted.

Speaking on Arise Television last night, Bawa maintained that the usual negative perception of  Nigeria  by foreign governments as a cesspool of corruption remains unacceptable, urging the country to reject such imputations.

Bawa was accused of abuse of office, selective prosecution, and mishandling of recovered assets and was eventually suspended from office by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023 to allow for proper investigation into these claims.

Bawa, who was on TV to speak about his new book: “ The Shadow of Loot and Losses: Uncovering Nigeria’s Petroleum Subsidy Fraud”, was later detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) for several weeks, though details of the findings from the investigations were never made  public, while he was never charged for the allegations.

The former EFCC Charmane also backed the removal of fuel subsidy by the current administration, stressing that it has reduced the massive racketeering associated with the subsidy regime.

“I think Nigeria as a country, we need to be bold enough to be able to challenge the international community that is always thinking negatively about our own country, that for whatever thing, this idea of re-looting the loot shouldn’t be discussed against us as a country.

“At least Nigerians, and of course non-Nigerians, should have the ability for them to trust our own leaders. And that is why they were elected, and that is why they are in the position of power, to be able to do things for the benefit of our own country.

“We shouldn’t be taking that, because it has come to be the norm, even from within ourselves, Nigerians, taking what the international community is trying to perceive us to be,” he pointed out.

Besides, Bawa who refused to compare the intensity of the fight against corruption under his leadership and under the current administration, stated that the rise of the payment of petroleum subsidy by the administration at the time was related to the fraud that was being perpetrated by its operators.

He emphasised that any human system was susceptible to compromise, especially when it was benefiting some persons, including law enforcement agencies.

“Irrespective of how fortified a system is, with human touch, there’s nothing that cannot be done. If people are willing to compromise themselves, then the system can be compromised. And then of course, you know, everybody is benefiting from the scale and the scam.

“And then that is why it had to continue, and that is why it continued, including law enforcement, including everybody. People can be compromised in such a way that they will look the other way. It’s a general thing. You don’t have to exclude any  person,” he stated.

He advised that law enforcement must be ahead of fraudsters to be able to reduce corruption and be able to pick up red flags early enough, dodging the question on his assessment of the anti-graft fight by the Bola Tinubu admin.

“ I don’t have that capacity for assessment. But there is even no basis to try to compare what was done before, and what is being done now,” he added, urging Nigerians to be optimistic about their country.

He also failed to answer questions on what transpired in his last days and his subsequent suspension by Tinubu, playing down on the development.

“It’s just part of what it is, as I said. One just has to take it as a phase and just move on. People always talk. People always say things, whether you are in government or you are not in government…It’s not the norm. It’s not every chairman that passes through that. It all depends on the circumstances and the situation.

“And then, of course, available information at that time and certain decisions have to be taken. It’s what it is,” he stated.