Beyond calls for Bawa’s head

should be committed to prison

“We are waiting for them. We don’t of the state assembly.

Another activist, Mrs Funmilayo Ajayi of the Community Women Initiative, added: “All we are telling him is obey our courts, let us preserve the integrity of our

“If the head of a frontline anticorruption agency is being controlled by a few people in the political space, and he is breaking the law with impunity, it portends danger for our democratic system and the wellbeing of the society at large.”

But Abdulrasheed Bawa, chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said on Tuesday that those under probe by the commission were orchestrating the call for his sack.

Bawa said at a news conference in Abuja in reaction to what he termed “sponsored campaign of calumny against him by a civil society

Bawa, who spoke through Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC’s image maker, said he would not be distracted by the antics of submitted a petition to the Lagos State House of Assembly, as their protest for removal of the EFCC Chairman, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa entered day four.

The coalition of CSOs, which began a weeklong protest in Ikeja on Sunday, on Tuesday took the protest to the assembly and submitted a petition against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss.

They alleged that the EFCC under Bawa had politicised operations and had perchant for disobeying lawful court orders and infringement on human rights.

The coalition, comprising scores of anti corruption CSOs on Sunday started daily protests at Ikeja, calling for the sack of the EFCC chairman.

The activists, who marched through the streets of Ikeja on Tuesday and converged on the Lagos state house of assembly, Alausa, noted that the majority of Nigerians were intelligent people, who could easily differentiate between a genuine cause by the EFCC and sponsored ones.

Vowing not to be intimidated, the protesters added that there was no going back on the call for Bawa’s removal.

A leader of the coalition and Director, Activists for Good Governance, Mr Declan Ihekaire, alleged that the activists had uncovered plans by some supposed CSOs to discredit the coalition’s genuine cause.

Transparency and Accountability Group, Mr Ayodeji Ologun, who spoke shortly after protesters arrived at the assembly, said that EFCCshould be seen to respect court orders, respect the rule of law and believe in fair hearing.

Ologun said: “What we are agitating against is his disobedience of the courts and the brazen politicisation of the EFCC.

“The IGP should immediately effect his arrest in line with the court ruling.

“Before Bawa can appeal against a court order sending him to prison, he must obey the order first. This is settled in law.

“Recently, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, directed ASUU to first comply with an order of the National Industrial Court ( NIC) directing them to suspend their strike before their appeal could be heard.

“Also, just last week, the EFCC itself arrested a senator for refusing to go to prison after he was sent there by the Federal High Court. This is despite his appeal against his sentence.”

“Appeal or no appeal, Bawa must report to Kuje prison. His appeal can’t be heard until he complies with the valid court ruling sending him to prison.”

He disclosed that the CSO leaders were at the assembly to submit a petition on Bawa’s disobedience of court orders and the politicisation of the EFCC to the National Assembly through the Speaker

According to him, the group has through press conferences and street protests called for his sack over alleged disobedience of court orders.

He said that the campaign of calumny would fail and urged the public to disregard the group.

“Contrary to these claims, the EFCC wishes to alert the public that this group has no interest in the fight against corruption. Their allusion to disobedience of court orders by the EFCC chairman is an alibi to manipulate facts around judicial pronouncements and processes to pitch the public against the commission.

“Information available to the commission indicates that the group is sponsored by persons under investigation by the commission.

“And have been mobilised and mandated by their paymaster to embarrass the person of the chairman through choreographed street protests across the country, until he is removed from office,” he said.

Bawa explained that the group found its voice after the EFCC launched an investigation into the mindless looting of the treasury of one of the states in the country.

The EFCC boss said the same group had shouted that the commission lacked the power to investigate the theft of the state’s resources.

“EFCC appeals to the public to disregard the campaign by this group as they do not represent the genuine interest of millions of Nigerians who are desirous of seeing progress in the fight against corruption.

“We want to assure Nigerians that the EFCC will not be distracted by this campaign of calumny as we believe that this agenda will fail.

“It is also important to reassure Nigerians and all stakeholders that the commission has never, and will not take any step to undermine the judiciary.