Why Bawa didn't obey committal order -EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday justified the refusal of its Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, to present himself and be committed to Kuje prison, as ordered by a court in Kogi State. 

Explaining that Bawa did not obey the court order because the commission has appealed the ruling, the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, who spoke with reporters in Abuja, said the EFCC boss was denied fair hearing and as a law abiding institution, the EFCC has approached the Appeal Court, for a stay of execution. 

He however failed to mention whether the stay of execution had been granted or not, as reporters tried to find out whether the appeal stopped the arrest of Bawa by the Inspector-General of Police. 

The spokesman of the anti-graft body also alleged that the protests by over 100 anti-corruption Civil Society Organisations (CSO), which entered it's fourth day on Tuesday, is being sponsored against the EFCC chairman to discredit his person. 

He said: "The group, through press conferences and staged street protests, have been calling for the sack of the EFCC Chairman for alleged disobedience of court orders. They claim they are motivated by the need to strengthen the fight against corruption. 

"Contrary to these claims, the EFCC wishes to alert the public that this group have no interest in the fight against Corruption and their allusion to disobedience of court orders by the EFCC chairman is an alibi to manipulate facts around judicial pronouncements and processes to pitch the public against the Commission," he said. 

He alleged that the CSOs are being sponsored by people under investigation by the Commission and had been mobilised and mandated by their paymaster to embarrass the EFCC chairman through choreographed street protests across the country, until he is removed from office. 

Uwajaren appealed to the public to disregard the campaign by this group as they do not represent the genuine interest of millions of Nigerians who are desirous of seeing progress in the fight against Corruption. 

"It is also important to reassure Nigerians and all stakeholders that the Commission has never, and will not take any steps to undermine the judiciary. As a law abiding institution, EFCC has conducted all its activities within the ambit of the law. Where judicial decisions were made against it, it has never resorted to self-help but availed itself of remedies under the law as it did in the instant case of committal orders of court," the EFCC stated.