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Tag: Abdulrasheed Bawa

  • EFCC reveals worth of Bitcoin, other hard currencies recovered in 2021

    EFCC reveals worth of Bitcoin, other hard currencies recovered in 2021

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed it recovered 5.3 million worth of Bitcoin, N152 billion and $386 million in the year 2021.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports EFCC made this known on Monday in continuation of review of its operational activities for the year.

    Revealing money recovered in hard currencies in 2021, the anti graft agency stated that it recovered £1.18 million, €156,246.76, 1.7 million Saudi Riyal, and 1,900.00 South African Rand.

    According to the Commission, the recovery basket also included 1,400.00 Canadian Dollar between January and December 2021, and a digital currency component with 5,369,573.19 Bitcoin and 0.09012 Ethereum.

    Mr Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday.

    Uwujaren said that EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja made most of the recoveries with N67,250 billion, $375.66 million dollars and £1.152 million pounds.

    “This is closely followed by EFCC Lagos Command which led the Naira recoveries with N70.316 billion, $9.286 million dollars and £21,500 pounds.

    “The Kaduna Zonal Command emerged third in terms of Naira recoveries with a total sum of N3.339 billion.

    “Ibadan Zonal Command took the same position in terms of Dollar recoveries to the tune of $387,385 dollars,” he added.

    Uwujaren quoted the commission’s Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa as saying that the monies were direct and indirect recoveries for the Federal, State and Local Governments as well as corporate organisations and victims of crime.

    Bawa commended management and staff of the commission for their performance and urged them to redouble their efforts in 2022.

    TNG reports the EFCC had also announced recording a total number of 2,220 convictions across its commands in the same year under review.

    The Abdulrasheed Bawa led management of the EFCC had assured that there is no hiding place for the looters of the nation’s treasury.

  • EFCC is not a debt recovery agency – Bawa

    EFCC is not a debt recovery agency – Bawa

    The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, has cautioned members of the public not to drag the commission into business transactions gone awry.

    Bawa gave the advice while speaking as one of the panelists at the Alao Aka- Bashorun Memorial Lecture on Thursday in Lagos, stressing that the commission was not a debt recovery agency.

    The lecture is part of the activities to commemorate the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Law Week 2021.

    Bawa, represented by Mr Anselm Ozioko, the Head of the Legal Department of the EFCC, spoke on the topic; “Our Role in the Effective Implementation of Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Law”.

    He said that there was a general misconception by members of the public that the EFCC was a debt recovery agency and urged the public to stop asking the anti-graft agency to recover debts.

    “I state with all sense of responsibility that members of the public, including legal practitioners in the course of carrying out recovery for their clients, should stop urging us (the commission) to do so.

    “I must also state that in the course of investigating a financial crime, it is possible that a sum of money transferred from the account of a nominal complainant, may be recovered as an exhibit.

    “In certain circumstances, the exhibits may be released to the complainant or the said exhibit will be used for the prosecution of the suspect in court.

    “At the end of a successful prosecution, the court may grant a Restitutive Order for the nominal complainant, in which the exhibit will be released to nominal complainant pursuant to the court Order,” Bawa said.

    He said that when the EFCC was approached by fraud victims, they typically expect the organisation to freeze bank accounts of suspects, make them forfeit their assets and release the assets to them (victims).

    The chairman said when the EFCC followed due process and did not act in line with the expectations of the victims, they become disoriented.

    Bawa said that despite best efforts of the EFCC, international online trading platforms like Paypal, have not restored Nigeria to its payment platform due to the nefarious activities of fraudsters.

    Commenting on the roles of lawyers during interrogation, the chairman said that they were to observe and not interfere with interrogations by the EFCC and that they were not to stand as sureties for suspects in EFCC custody.

    “The EFCC has in some situations prosecuted lawyers who deposited their Call to Bar Certificates to stand sureties for suspects because their client jumped bail.

    “In some cases, we reported such legal practitioners to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee.

    “It is not your responsibility as a lawyer to bail anyone, you recommend that someone is fit and proper to be a surety not you, as a lawyer,” he said.

    Bawa said that in many instances, lawyers have made attempts to frustrate investigations by filing fundamental rights suits against the EFCC when their clients are served with invitation letters.

    “As a lawyer, you cannot stop a law enforcement agency from carrying out its statutory duties,” he said.

    Also speaking at the forum, Mr Layi Babatunde (SAN) queried why heads of government agencies should go to heads of courts to ensure that their matters are heard in a particular manner.

    “Take for instance, the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), they do this all of the time. Imagine how it will appear if bank debtors do the same.

    “This should not be taken lightly at all because no litigant has a right to go and discuss their case with the court, behind the other party’s back. That is corruption.

    “The EFCC should look into it and we, as lawyers should not sit idle and allow it to happen. It is a form of intimidation.

    “If we continue this way, foreign investors will not have faith in our judicial system,” Babatunde said.

  • Cybercrimes: EFCC sends strong warning to hotels owners

    Cybercrimes: EFCC sends strong warning to hotels owners

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sent a strong warning to owners and operators of hotels.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the EFCC warned hoteliers from allowing their premises and facilities to become havens for cybercriminals.

    The warning comes on the heels of a sting operation operatives of the EFCC carried out at Parkitonian Hotel in the Lekki area of Lagos State.

    The EFCC in a statement stated that hoteliers allowing their premises to be used for cybercrimes is in contravention of Section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.

    TNG reports in the early hours of Tuesday July 13, 2021 a team of operatives from the Lagos Zonal Office of the Commission, acting on verified intelligence on the activities of a suspected syndicate of internet fraudsters carried out an operation at Parkitonian Hotel.

    During the sting operation which was the culmination of weeks of surveillance during which the rooms occupied by the suspects were identified, 30 suspects were arrested with 24 of them already confessing involvement in cybercrimes and related activities, the EFCC stated.

    According to the Commission, there was no incident as the hotel management served with the relevant Warrant offered access to the operatives, to carry out their lawful duties.

    “However, in the course of the operation, the Operatives encountered women in some of the rooms who pleaded nudity to stop them from arresting their targets. This has lately become the antics of cyber fraudsters who procure ladies to plead nudity as a decoy, to allow their consort destroy incriminating items in their devices before arrest.

    “The Commission will not fall for such gimmick which is intended to prevent it from carrying out its lawful duties.

    “It must however be stated for emphasis, that there was no break in, no molestation and no violence of any kind during the operation.

    “Yet a section of the media, especially the online publication, People Gazette and the Punch Newspaper, which lapped up People Gazette’s report hook line and sinker, presented a narrative of gestapo operation, with forceful break in and the violation of the privacy of nude guests.

    “Interestingly, a common thread to the report is attribution to faceless sources. It is curious that citizens whose right to privacy had been so blatantly violated as claimed, would be hesitant to publicly speak about their ordeal.

    “Even more worrisome is the fact that a responsible publication like the Punch Newspaper did not bother to carry out a fact-check on the allegations of break in and violence but simply regurgitated the false narrative of People Gazette.

    “Also, from the two reports, both the hotel owner and his manager were quoted as refusing to speak on the operation. But the claim is obviously a game of ostrich as their involvement in pushing out the false narrative is discernable.

    “The hotel owner perhaps is ignorant of the fact that he could become an accomplice and liable for allowing his premises to be used for cybercrime, in contravention of section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.

    “The section provides that, a “person who, being the occupier or is concerned in the management of any premises, causes or knowingly permits the premises to be used for any purpose which constitutes an offence under this Act is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than 5 years without the option of a fine”.

    “The Commission warns hoteliers from allowing their premises and facilities to become havens for cybercrime.

    “Adherence to the rule of law remains a core principle moderating the activities of the EFCC and the Executive Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa has repeatedly said the agency under his watch will not deviate from the norm,” the EFCC statement reads.

  • EFCC launches ‘Eagle Eye’ App to ease financial crimes reporting

    EFCC launches ‘Eagle Eye’ App to ease financial crimes reporting

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday launched a computer application known as Eagle Eye, to ease the reporting of economic and financial crimes to the commission.

    The application was designed to complement existing channels of reporting crimes, according to the Chairman of the commission, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa.

    Speaking at the launch in Abuja, Bawa said a unique advantage of the application was the elimination of direct person-to-person interface in the reporting process, thereby guaranteeing anonymity and “an added incentive for effective whistle blowing”.

    “For us at the EFCC, this event is unique in several ways. It’s the first of its kind by any law enforcement agency in the country.

    “Secondly, it’s the product of ingenuity by a staff of the commission, being an application that was initiated, designed and developed by the EFCC.

    “Thirdly, it’s a clear demonstration of my pledge, on assumption of office, to run an agency that’s technologically driven”, he said.

    “The Eagle Eye presents a new experience, a new information sharing tool between the public and the EFCC.

    “With the App, those who are afraid of reporting cases of corruption to the commission, either for fear of being identified as a partner or having their identity reviewed, can now do so with the assurance of full secrecy.

    “I, therefore, appeal to members of the public to take advantage of this application in bringing cases of corruption and economic crimes to the knowledge of the EFCC,” Bawa added.

    According to him, with the Eagle Eye, Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike can easily take pictures of property suspected to be fraudulently or corruptly acquired and report through the App.

    “With the Eagle Eye, you have at your finger tips a device that will ultimately ensure that there is no hiding place for corrupt persons in Nigeria”, Bawa said.

    Explaining how it works, the EFCC boss said: “it is a friendly application with features that can be navigated by any literate person.

    “The first step is to download the App on one’s device, take pictures and upload pictures. There is a column requesting for the sender’s phone number and address, in a bid to discourage malicious reporting,” he added.

    He, however, warned the public to be wary of fake accounts, stating that there were lots of fake accounts on the Net carrying EFCC logo.

  • BREAKING: We’ll prosecute Orji Uzor Kalu afresh – EFCC Chair Bawa

    BREAKING: We’ll prosecute Orji Uzor Kalu afresh – EFCC Chair Bawa

    One year after a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the release of former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu from prison, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdularasheed Bawa said the politician who doubles as Chief Whip of the ninth Senate will be prosecuted by the agency all over again.

    The anti-graft agency boss also said he is not perturbed over the threats to his life and he is determined to prosecute the many pending cases under trial.

    Bawa disclosed this on Thursday while addressing journalists during the weekly ministerial chat at the State House in Abuja.

    He gave insight into ongoing prosecutions, challenges, and increasing cases of financial crimes since his assumption into office 100 days ago.

    He also clarified reports accredited to him concerning the involvement of a Minister in the laundering of about $37 million into real estate. He disclosed that he simply made reference to an old case involving a former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Madueke.

    The EFCC Chairman further disclosed that since his first 100 days in office, the agency has been working on a number of proactive strategies including a special control unit against money laundering, established particularly to address non-designated financial institutions including car dealers, real estate, jewellery dealers, among others.

    Bawa said he is confident that when the unit is fully established, corruption will significantly decline in the country.

    He then added that the agency is equally working towards the development of a biometric ownership database to address money laundering.

    According to him, most proceeds of crime are laundered through real estate and have become a huge challenge. He gives examples of property acquired especially in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt where billions of naira are laundered through this means.

    He, however, declined to disclose actual perpetrators or the properties involved.

    He revealed that since his assumption, a number of recoveries have been made including N6billion, $161million, £13,000 pounds, €1,730 among others.

    Internet fraudsters numbering 1,502 have also been apprehended between January to June 2021 and efforts are underway to file about 800 of them. A hundred cases will be filed in court.

  • How minister laundered $37m through property deal – EFCC boss

    How minister laundered $37m through property deal – EFCC boss

    Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has described the real estate sector as one with huge level of corruption in the country.

    The EFCC chief said that about 90 to 100 percent of resources are being laundered through the sector.

    Bawa stated this while featuring on Sunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television. He made this known on Tuesday.

    He said the commission investigated a female minister, who he said, bought $37.5m property from a bank and deposited $20m cash.

    Bawa, who is celebrating his 100 days in office, did not however reveal the identity of the suspect or whether she is a current or former minister.

    He said, “One of the problems we have in the country is the real estate. Ninety to 100 per cent of the resources are being laundered through the real estate. Of course, they are being regulated but they are not enough in terms of how they give their returns to the Special Control Unit.

    “We investigated a matter in which a bank MD marketed a property to a minister and agreed to purchase it at $37.5m. The bank then sent a vehicle to her house to evacuate $20m from her house in the first instance.

    “The bank succeeded to put it in their system and paid the developer and then a lawyer set up a special purpose vehicle where the title documents were transferred into and of course, he is posing as the owner of the house.

    “Without the help of the banker, the minister couldn’t have imagined collecting $20m from anyone with opportunity from the real sector; she could not have thought of where to launder the proceeds of crime.”

     

  • Dokpesi Acquittal: Atiku sends message to new EFCC chairman, AbdulRasheed Bawa

    Dokpesi Acquittal: Atiku sends message to new EFCC chairman, AbdulRasheed Bawa

    Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to resist what he described as political manipulation.

    Atiku’s call is in response to the acquittal of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Raymond Dokpesi, by the Federal Court of Appeal in Abuja.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Dokpesi was prosecuted by the EFCC in connection with the alleged ₦ 2.1 billion money laundering charges brought against him over the arms contracts under former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

    The court, however, quashed the charges on Thursday in a unanimous judgment of a three-man panel of judges led by Justice Williams-Daudu.

    But Atiku in a statement he personally signed on Friday expressed his joy and solidarity over the incident, saying he was elated with the outcome of the trial.

    The ex-Vice President said the court judgement “revealed the truth about the lopsided nature of the anti-corruption policy of the Buhari administration.”

    According to him, “the entire anti-corruption trials appear to be focused on opposition politicians, thereby casting doubts on the credibility of the anti-graft agency.”

    He recalled that during the 2019 presidential election, the EFCC focused its time and resources on harassing and arraigning aides of opposition politicians, lamenting that it was indifferent to how members of the ruling party were financing their campaigns.

    The former PDP presidential candidate noted that even members of the international community are now coming to terms with the reality that the anti-corruption crusade is not impartial, and that the government is now using the anti-corruption policy to contrive charges against those they want to use to advance certain political objectives.

    While noting that he was impressed with the appointment of Abdul Rasheed Bawa as EFCC chairman, Atiku asked him to learn from the mistakes of his predecessors.

    “As a young man of great intellect and confidence, I’m confident that you are up to the task. You must be ready to restore the glory of the EFCC by changing its public perception as a political tool of the government in power,” he stated.

    “Let your conscience and history judge you. But you can only do so if you resist external manipulation. May Allah guide you aright.”

  • Why I nominated Bawa for EFCC chair – Malami

    Why I nominated Bawa for EFCC chair – Malami

    The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has given reason why he nominated Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa to the chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Malami, who gave the reason in an interview on Monday, said four names, including that of Mr Bawa were submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for consideration on who to head the EFCC.

    President Buhari went with the choice of Bawa, and on February 24 the confirmed the appointment of Mr Bawa, who was nominated by the President on February 15, as the substantive chairman of the EFCC.

    In the interview with DailyTrust, Malami said his choice of Bawa as the chairperson of the EFCC was based on his competence.

    However, since Mr Bawa was appointed the fifth substantive EFCC chair, there have been mixed reactions from different quarters due to his relationship with the AGF, who has been alleged to have played a significant role in the removal of the former suspended acting EFCC chairman.

    Both Messrs Malami and Bawa are from Kebbi State but hail from different local government areas.

    Mr Bawa, 40, a pioneer EFCC cadet officer from Course One of 2005, rose through the ranks to head the Ibadan, Port Harcourt, and Lagos zonal offices of the commission at various times.

    But, Malami said despite the comments made on his selection of Mr Bawa, none of them challenged his capacity to deliver as head of the country’s leading anti-corruption agency.

    He also denied being related to Mr Bawa.

    “I am happy that most of the comments made are not on his capacity, intelligence, competence and associated ability to deliver. His capacity to deliver was never questioned across the nation.

    “The question is whether justice has been served, whether public interest has been served having the chairman appointed with a particular regard to his capacity and ability to deliver.

    “My answer is yes. He has the capacity, ability and institutional history of the institution to do justice by way of bringing about added value,” he said.

    Mr Malami said having headed three operational divisions of the commission, Mr Bawa’s credentials made him to be selected among the names forwarded to the president.

  • Bawa hands over in Lagos ahead of taking over as EFCC Chairman

    Bawa hands over in Lagos ahead of taking over as EFCC Chairman

    Ahead of taking over as the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa has handed over the leadership of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Office to Taufiq Sabir, on February 26, 2021.

    Bawa, who exited the position to take up his new appointment as the EFCC Chairman, charged the new zonal head to keep the flag flying.

    Earlier before the official handover ceremony, the EFCC boss met with sectional/unit heads, as well as all officers of the Zone to give them his last charge.

    In an emotionally charged atmosphere, the EFCC Chairman admonished officers to be disciplined in the discharge of their duties.

    He said: “It is just natural, you can’t be fighting corruption, and doing something different yourself at the same time.

    “You must be above board at all times, and strive to be better always.”

    While commending the officers of the zone for the support given to him in the period he led the zone, resulting in transformation of the zonal office, he urged staff to see themselves as serving the country and to “give my successor all the support you accorded to me”.

    He further stressed that under his chairmanship, the EFCC will ensure a proactive approach to the fight against corruption.

    “Before the crime is committed, we are going to put in place measures that will help nip it in the bud, it’s going to be the way to go,” he said.

    He expressed great optimism that though the challenges and expectations were high, “we are going to succeed and take the Commission to the next level”.

  • What an elder told me about my appointment – New EFCC Chairman

    What an elder told me about my appointment – New EFCC Chairman

    Newly confirmed Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa has revealed what an elderly man reportedly told him about his appointment.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mr Bawa made the revelation during his screening on Wednesday when the Senate asked him to take a bow and go, after answering pertinent questions.

    He revealed that when his appointment was announced last week Tuesday, an elderly man advised him and said, “Mallam Bawa, you are now 40 years old. Even if you succeed and serve two terms you are still going to be 48 years old”.

    Bawa added: “he said I have a very long future ahead of me. I am a human being but I assure you I am going to discharge my duties without fear or favour. Conscious of the fact that I am a human being and after this life I will die and after my death there will be judgement and sentence”.

    On being arrested and detained, Bawa said there has been no time he was arrested and detained, stressing that he has a very cordial relationship with the former Acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu.

    He revealed that the former Acting Chairman called him to congratulate him when his appointment was announced.

    Read Bawa’s comments below:

    The issue of political witch-hunt has been against the EFCC since its inception. When it comes to the issues of trial in court, at the end of every investigation, files are sent to the Legal Department to see whether or not the investigation warrants going to court. As I said, we are not perfect. I do state here that we have 90 per cent success rate on matters that we have charged to court

    On the issue of media trial we have a responsibility as a commission to enlighten the public about our activities as a commission. Matters that are in court are already in the public domain. The press have right to demand for those records and print them. So it is not within our control to determine which matter that is in court can be published or not.

    When my appointment was announced last week Tuesday, an elderly man advised me and he said, ‘Mallam Bawa, you are now 40 years old. Even if you succeed and serve two terms you are still going to be 48 years old’ and he said I have a very long future ahead of me. I am a human being but I assure you I am going to discharge my duties without fear or favour. Conscious of the fact that I am a human being and after this life I will die and after my death there will be judgement and sentence.

    I have a very cordial relationship with former Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu. I was never arrested nor detained by him. He called me on phone to congratulate me on my appointment. I do have a very cordial working relationship with former Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

    The EFCC is not only serving the public, it also serves the private sector and recoveries are made both for public, private and individuals in the private sector. The Lagos Zonal Office recovered over N10.9 billion last year. Anytime EFCC Chairman do mention about recoveries he made, he mentions about everything that covers both public and private sector. I hope God willing, we are going to digitalize the process on everything that we do going forward.

    We have a full-fledged Directorate of Internal Affairs that police the officers of EFCC. And we will reposition it so that the Directorate will be proactive rather than reactive. So the self-cleansing is going to commence regarding the repositioning of that department.

    What I can do differently is leading by example. I have never been in office a minute after 8:00am except something happens. I will try as much as possible to ensure that I am leading the path.

    Thank you very much Senator Oluremi Tinubu for the motherly advice you gave earlier on.

    On issues of asset disposal, God willing, will be carried out on case by case basis. As we are concluding a case in court and sequel to court’s judgement, we will go on discharging that asset and I think that will solve most of our problems.

    If we have proper funding, I can tell you that law enforcement will be different in this country. A single case may cost you maybe N20 million. What I believe is proper funding can change the face of law enforcement in this country.

    I assure you that the confidence that Mr. President has on me and my colleagues will be repaid with diligent work for the betterment of this country.