Some high-profile Nigerians are after my life – EFCC Chairman

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has claimed he has received death threats due to his fight against corruption since he assumed office.

He said this on Tuesday while fielding questions on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme.

Bawa, 40, said that he received a death threat last week, retelling how somebody had placed a phone call to deliver the threat.

“Last week, I was in New York, as all Nigerians are aware of. A very senior citizen received a phone call from somebody that is not even under investigation. What he (the caller) said to him on the phone is that; he is going to kill the EFCC chairman, the young man.

“He said, ‘I am going to kill him. I am going to kill him’. This is to tell you how bad it is. It is actually real. Corruption can fight back,” Bawa said, recounting the incident.

He, however, noted that he is hopeful that the anti-graft agency will tame the monster of corruption in the country.

The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa has said that he is hopeful that the anti-graft agency will tame the monster of corruption in the country.

He said: “Yes because if you look at it, almost everywhere there are elements of it (corruption). No, because I am optimistic, we will succeed in taming the monster of corruption in this country.

“I am very optimistic and with the efforts of the government. One of the cardinal principles of the President’s administration is to fight corruption and we in the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies saddled with this responsibility… we are doing our best and trying to curtail it.”

Speaking further on steps that will be taken in taming corruption in the country, he added that the agency is engaging with religious leaders.

“Nigeria is a very religious country and that is why one of the issues that we do in public enlightenment is to engage with leaders of religious bodies. We are soon going to launch our interface with the Christian and Islamic communities to engage them on the ills of corruption.

“We have already designed the manual for that,” he said.

Bawa was appointed EFCC boss by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 16.

The President also asked the Senate to confirm him describing him in a statement as a trained EFCC investigator with vast experience in the investigation and prosecution of Advance Fee Fraud cases, official corruption, bank fraud, money laundering, and other economic crimes.

Upon resumption of office on March 9, he called for a renewed commitment to the anti-graft campaign by all staff through dedicated service, devoid of sloppiness and other forms of indiscipline.

During his screening by the Senate, Bawa vowed that the constitution will guide his actions as EFCC chairman.