Group Pettion EFCC Chairman for  Disobeying Court Orders 

   ......Calls for his sack

It is with the deepest concern and a feeling of national embarrassment that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, under the leadership of Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa EFCC has chosen to become an institution known for brazenly disobeying orders of courts in such a manner that does not only undermine the institutions of our democracy, but also indicate a contradictions to the anti-corruption agenda of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.


Aside from the EFCC’s penchant for disobedience of lawful court orders, it has gotten to the embarrassing height that the chairman of the Commission, Mr Bawa, has been convicted to prison terms on about three different occasions within space of one month for clear breach of the extant orders of the Court.


You cannot but agree with us sir, that under a democracy like ours,  any form of disobedience to lawful orders of the court is not only an act of monumental corruption, but it also indicates a dangerous signal to the institutions of our democracy and the memories of those who sacrificed their lives for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.


This culture of impunity as consistently exhibited by the EFCC Chairman continues to ridicule Nigeria in the comity of nations and sabotage efforts at attracting foreign direct investment. Investors only go to jurisdictions where the rule of law and respect for human rights are guaranteed while shunning countries where ‘rule of men’ predominate.


It is even more worrisome that this blatant disobedience of valid court orders by the Bawa-led EFCC is coming on the heels of efforts  by stakeholders to galvanise more support for the war against corruption in  the country.


We note that by the continued disobedience of the orders of the Court, Mr. AbdulRasheed Bawa and the EFCC have displayed utter contempt for our courts and the country’s judicial system. It is ironic that these are the same courts the EFCC routinely runs to for orders which they zealously implement in the discharge of their mandate under the EFCC Act. It is not for EFCC and its leadership to pick and choose which court orders to obey or disregard. That is an invitation to anarchy. What is more, he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.


It is further recalled that the courts have severally cited the EFCC and its chairman for contempt, even as stiff damages have been awarded against the commission, thereby dissipating scarce public resources.


We hereby demand that the National Assembly, prevail on Mr Bawa to step down, in order to ensure that EFCC does not derail our democracy.


EFCC’s Gestapo-style regime of disobeying court orders must stop. Nigeria is not a banana republic. Attempts by institutions of state to ridicule the country and make it seem like a lawless fiefdom must be resisted by all. The EFCC seems to be allowing itself to be used as an instrument of political witchunt as it targets some individuals more than many others.  Some of our organizations have submitted several petitions to the Commission which it has refused to act on even when you sit with them to reason on the merits of those petitions. Once there is a political interest the whole processes of investigation and litigation become politicized. For the EFCC to recover its past glory,  it must retrace its steps with the President overhauling its leadership by firing Mr. Bawa and his leadership team. 


It is a known fact, that the EFCC cannot continue to dehumanise Nigerians on the pages of newspapers, based on unverified political investigations and without proving their case beyond reasonable doubt in a competent court. 


The fixation of the EFCC boss on certain individuals and institutions when grievous petitions capable of bringing the economy down are left unattended, gives the anti-corruption war, under the leadership of Mr. Bawa, a dangerously political colouration. 


Finally, we believe in the commitment of your leadership, to the defence of our democracy, as we look forward, to your postive actions.