Lucky Obukohwo Reporting
A coalition on the platform of Niger Delta Youth Congress, Initiative for Ethics and Value Orientation, Northern Youths Frontiers, National Movement for Democratic Change and 107 Anti-Corruption Crusade Groups, has tasked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call for the arrest of former attorney general of the federation (AGF) and minister for justice, Abubarka Malami; former aviation minister, Hadi Sirika and the former minister of humanitarian affairs, Saadiyya Umar Farouk for the alleged huge corruption under their watch.
The groups passed a vote of no confidence in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its leadership, alleging that the Chairman of the commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, was put in the saddle by Malami to cover the serial financial misconducts perpetrated in the previous administration.
A joint statement by National Convener Niger Delta Youth Congress, Israel Uwejeyan; National Convener Movement for Democratic Change, Godfrey Osolase, and National Convener Initiative for Ethics and Value Orientation, Bello Idowu, demanded that Bawa must step down.
“We, like other concerned Nigerians, are worried by the enormity of accumulated corruption allegations mounting against top officials of the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We acknowledge the first step taken by the present administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards addressing our grievances by relieving Godwin Emefiele of his position as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor and subjecting him to an investigation, we, nevertheless, have serious reservations over the quality and calibre of the leadership of EFCC under Bawa.
“Of major concern is that action is yet to be taken on other principal collaborators such as Malami, Farouk, and Sirika. Indications are that between the four of them, trillions of naira of public funds have been lost to corrupt practices under various guises while the EFCC appeared helpless.
“By now everyone is aware that the current leadership of the EFCC, under Bawa, was put in place and protected by Malami for the sole purpose of covering up the monumental serial financial misconduct perpetrated in the previous administration.
“We are also worried by growing concerns that tend to suggest that the leadership of the EFCC is working to destroy evidence relating to financial crimes that could be linked to the former ministers by sneaking relevant documents out of the EFCC building. We call on President Tinubu to urgently ensure the arrest of Malami, Farouk, Sirika, and others, and to quickly move to secure available evidence of corruption against them in the possession of the EFCC by immediately relieving Bawa and other top officials strongly believed to be Malami’s pawns of their positions.
“We urge the president to constitute a more credible leadership of the EFCC, or in the alternative, set up an independent investigation panel of people of reputable integrity to conduct thorough and comprehensive investigations.
“In conclusion, we want to vehemently state that we have lost confidence in the current leadership of the EFCC. For any thorough investigation to take place, the current EFCC chairman must step aside, else we will be chasing shadows.
“We firmly believe a strong and credible EFCC is essential for the prosperity and development of our nation,” the statement said.