From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has claimed that corrupt politicians are engineering the removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, to close their tracks.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement yesterday, said Bawa’s exceptional outing as EFCC head of the Port Harcourt Zonal Office and Lagos Zonal Offices, lead to successful investigation and prosecution of many cases leading to convictions and recovery of looted funds.
Onwubiko said that he was surprised that Bawa had come under vicious attack from Governor Matawalle of Zamfara State when he accused him of demanding $2 million bribery, adding that it was blackmail that should be dismissed with a wave of hands.
He called on the judiciary not to allow corrupt politicians to buy their way by delivering unfavourable judgements detrimental to the work of EFCC.
“Corrupt Nigerians particularly politicians use corrupt judiciary officials to frustrate the Commission’s gallant efforts. The media needs to help the Commission in this area by calling out such cases where the Judiciary has created the leeway for the travesty of justice.
You are aware that addressing itself these onerous responsibilities has met such resistance and challenges.
“It is operatives have faced intimidation, harassment, and death threats. Public misconceptions and cynicism are common and militating against its capacity to discharge the great responsibilities that would pave the way for the financial health of the nation and safeguard the funds meant for the development and delivery of democratic dividends.
“You will recall that the Agency has made a case for special courts to focus purely on financial crimes.
“This request has not been attended to by the National Assembly. This has led to delays in the conclusion of cases to say nothing about the paucity of funds to carry out corruption prevention assignments,” he said.