Bola Badmus – Lagos
Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Friday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, over his consistent disobedience to court orders.
Chairman of the Centre for Public Accountability, Olufemi Lawson, while making the call in Lagos at a press conference said EFCC under Bawa had the penchant for disobedience of lawful court orders, noting that the anti-graft Agency boas had been convicted to prison terms on about three different occasions within the space of one month for a clear breach of the extant orders of the court.
Lawson said this culture of impunity as consistently exhibited by the EFCC chairman had continued to ridicule the country in the comity of nations and sabotage efforts at attracting foreign direct investment.
He added that it was even more worrisome that the blatant disobedience of valid court orders by the Bawa-led EFCC was coming on the heels of efforts by stakeholders to galvanise more support for the war against corruption in the country.
“We must at this point make it clear that any form of disobedience to lawful orders of the court is not only an act of monumental corruption but is it also indicates a dangerous signal to the institutions of our democracy and the memories of those who sacrificed their lives for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.
“This culture of impunity as consistently exhibited by the EFCC chairman continues to ridicule Nigeria in the comity of nations and sabotage efforts at attracting foreign direct investment.
“It is even more worrisome that this blatant disobedience of valid court orders by the Bawa-led EFCC is coming on the heels of efforts by stakeholders to galvanise more support for the war against corruption in the country,” he said.
“We hereby demand that President Buhari takes immediate steps to ensure that EFCC does not derail its avowed commitment to the rule of law and respect for the fundamental rights of citizens by removing Mr Bawa as the chairman of the commission.
“EFCC gestapo-styke regime of disobeying court orders must stop. Nigeria is not a banana republic. Attempts by institutions of state to ridicule the country and make it seem like a lawless fiefdom must be resisted by all. The EFCC seems to be allowing itself to be used as an instrument of political witch hunt as it targets some individuals more than many others,” he added.
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