• CSOs celebrate Bawa’s removal, task Tinubu on probe of graft allegations

Following Tuesday’s indefinite suspension from office of Abdulrasheed Bawa as Executive Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the Federal Government, Abdulkarim Chukkol has stepped in as head of the anti-graft agency in an acting capacity.

Until his new appointment, he was the organisation’s Director of Operations.
A pioneer staff and a prestigious member of the EFCC Cadet Course 1, Chukkol is a consummate investigator, with specialty in cybercrime and money laundering.

The holder of Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from University of Maiduguri (2000) and Post Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia, United States and Graduate Diploma in Cybersecurity and Spectrum Management from the United States Telecommunication Training Institute, Washington DC, United States; is also an alumnus of the FBI National Academy, Quantico; European Centre of Security Studies, Germany and a Fellow of the War College, Nigeria.

His other previous engagements include Head of the Advance Fee Fraud and Cybercrime Sections of the Lagos and Abuja Zonal Commands between 2011 and 2016; pioneer Commander of the Uyo Zonal Command in 2017 and Commander of Port Harcourt Zonal Command in 2020.

He had equally participated in several special operations with international law enforcement organisations and maintains close relationship with law enforcement agencies such as the FBI; UK National Crime Agency; United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); United States Secret Service; Australian Federal Police; Dutch Police; German Police; South African Police among others.

Besides, leaders of over 150 civil society organisations (CSOs), yesterday, defied the rains, to celebrate what they termed the first step in the cleaning process for the EFCC.

They hailed the President for showing a “bold will to fix the wrongs in critical areas of the Nigerian system and doing the right things in seemingly complex circumstances.”

The crusaders noted that Bawa and Godwin’s suspensions were overdue.

According to them, genuine anti-corruption CSOs are happy that their struggle against “politicisation of the EFCC, disobedience to lawful court orders and infringement on the human rights of Nigerians with impunity” has yielded a positive result at last.

Led by leading human rights activists, including the Chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran; Executive Director, Zero Graft Centre, Kolawole Sanchez-Jude; Declan Ihehaire of the Activists for Good Governance; Ayodeji Ologun of Transparency and Accountability Group and Olufemi Lawson, spokesperson for the coalition, the alliance began protests for Bawa’s removal about six months ago, holding rallies and town hall meetings across the federation to press home their demand.

They had called on ex-President Muhammadu Buhari to order the Inspector-General of Police to effect his arrest and try him for contempt of court.

The activists also petitioned for thorough investigation of activities of the organisation under Bawa, saying weighty allegations of corruption had been leveled against him.

CACOL chairman, Adeniran, who spoke for the coalition, expressed their joy at the news.

The CSOs urged Tinubu to thorough investigate the graft allegations.

Meanwhile, the anti-corruption body has summoned immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, to appear before it within the week over the controversial Nigeria Air project, which he claimed, gulped N3 billion.

A reliable source said the commission would probe the huge sum sunk into the project amid contestations from some stakeholders that over N80 billion went into the venture.

“I can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation in that regard,” he said.

EFCC had also questioned officials of Nigerian Air on the recent launch of the national carrier in Abuja.

“We have already questioned some officials of Nigeria Air. We have invited the former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika. We are expecting him within the week,” the source added.

The ex-minister had, at the twilight of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, caused the supposed launch of the airline in the nation’s capital, allegedly using an Ethiopian aircraft.

Sirika had equally, during at a recent Arise News interview, said the landing of the Ethiopian aircraft in Abuja was “a marketing strategy.”

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filling this report.