AbdulRasheed Bawa was a Nigerian detective and law enforcement agent who served as the chairman of the EFCC from February 24, 2021 to June 14, 2023. He was the youngest and first non-police officer to lead the anti-corruption agency. In this blog post, we will explore his life, career, achievements, and controversies.

AbdulRasheed Bawa Early Life and Education

Bawa was born on April 30, 1980 in Jega, Kebbi state. He obtained his primary and secondary education in Sokoto and Owerri respectively. He graduated from the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics in 2001. He also holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the same university in 2012. He is currently studying for a Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of London.

Abdulrasheed Bawa Family

Abdulrasheed Bawa is a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria. He was suspended from his position in June 2023 over allegations of corruption

Abdulrasheed Bawa is married and has children, but the name of his wife is not public He is also said to be the cousin of Abubakar Malami, the current Attorney General of the Federation

Career at the EFCC

Bawa joined the EFCC as an Assistant Detective Superintendent (ADS) in 2004. He was part of the pioneer EFCC Cadet Officers course one. He rose through the ranks to become a Deputy Chief Superintendent of the EFCC. He has over 17 years of experience in investigating and prosecuting various cases of financial crimes, such as advance fee fraud, money laundering, bank fraud, oil theft, and public corruption. He has also undergone several trainings by local and international organizations, such as the FBI, FINCEN, and UNODC.

Bawa was appointed as the substantive chairman of the EFCC by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 16, 2021. He was confirmed by the Senate on February 24, 2021, after a screening session. He took over from Umar Mohammed Abba, who was the acting chairman of the commission since July 2020, following the suspension of Ibrahim Magu over allegations of corruption.

As the chairman of the EFCC, Bawa was responsible for overseeing the operations and activities of the commission, which has a staff strength of over 2,000 and a budget of over N30 billion. He also supervised the 14 zonal offices of the EFCC across the country. Some of his notable achievements as the EFCC boss include:

• Recovering over N6 billion, $261 million, £1.1 million, €8.1 million, CFA 55,000, and 30 real estates from various suspects.

• Securing 185 convictions, including that of former governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu, who was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for N7.1 billion fraud.

• Launching the Eagle Eye app, a mobile application that allows the public to report cases of corruption and financial crimes anonymously.

• Enhancing the collaboration and partnership with other law enforcement agencies, such as the NFIU, ICPC, CBN, NDLEA, NCS, NIS, and foreign counterparts.

• Initiating reforms and policies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the commission, such as the establishment of the Procurement Fraud Unit, the Gender Desk, and the Directorate of Intelligence.

Controversies and Suspension

Bawa’s tenure as the EFCC chairman was not without challenges and controversies. He faced several allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and misconduct from different quarters. Some of the most prominent ones include:

• The theft and sale of 244 petrol-bearing trucks that were confiscated from suspected oil thieves in Port Harcourt, when he was the head of the EFCC zonal office there in 2019. He was accused of auctioning the trucks to his proxies at ridiculous prices, and was reportedly arrested and detained by his predecessor, Magu, over the matter. He denied the allegations and claimed that he followed due process in the disposal of the trucks.

• The mismanagement of over N10 billion recovered from the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and her associates, when he was the head of the EFCC Lagos zonal office in 2020. He was alleged to have diverted some of the funds for personal use, and failed to account for the whereabouts of some of the assets. He also denied the allegations and said that he had no access to the recovered funds or assets, as they were under the custody of the EFCC headquarters.

• The abuse of power and violation of human rights in the arrest and detention of some journalists, activists, and critics of the government, such as Omoyele Sowore, Abubakar Idris, and Babatunde Olusola, on trumped-up charges of terrorism, cybercrime, and defamation. He was accused of being a tool of the government to silence dissenting voices and stifle press freedom. He defended his actions and said that he was only acting in accordance with the law and the mandate of the EFCC.

On June 14, 2023, President Bola Tinubu, who had succeeded Buhari in May 2023, suspended Bawa from his position as the chairman of the EFCC, over allegations of corruption and misconduct. He also ordered a probe into his activities and affairs at the commission. He appointed Ola Olukayode, a senior lawyer and former prosecutor, as the acting chairman of the EFCC, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Conclusion

AbdulRasheed Bawa was a young and ambitious law enforcement officer who rose to the highest position of the EFCC, the foremost anti-corruption agency in Nigeria. He had a remarkable career and a controversial tenure as the EFCC boss. He made some achievements and faced some challenges in his quest to fight corruption and financial crimes in the country. He was eventually suspended by the president over allegations of corruption and misconduct, and his fate remains uncertain. He is a man of many parts, and his story is one of interest and intrigue.