A coalition of Civil Society Organisation (CSOs) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to arrest former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
The group also called for the arrest of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Saadiyya Umar Farouk; and former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika.
The CSOs include Niger Delta Youth Congress, Initiative for Ethics and Value Orientation, Northern Youths Frontiers, National Movement for Democratic Change and 107 Anti-Corruption Crusade Groups.
The group noted that trillions of naira in public funds were stolen under the watch of the four ex-ministers.
The coalition which passed a vote of no confidence Abdulrasheed Bawa, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its leadership and noted that the chairman of the commission, was put in the saddle by Malami to cover the serial financial misconduct perpetrated in the previous administration but is appreciative of the step tsken by the President to suspend the EFCC boss
A joint statement signed by National Convener Niger Delta Youth Congress, Israel Uwejeyan; National Convener Movement for Democratic Change, Godfrey Osolase, and National Convener Initiative for Ethics and Value Orientation, Bello Idowu, demanded that Bawa must step down.
The statement read, “We, like other concerned Nigerians, are worried by the enormity of accumulated corruption allegations mounting against top officials of the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We acknowledge the first step taken by the present administration under President Tinubu towards addressing our grievances by relieving Godwin Emefiele of his position as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor and subjecting him to an investigation and we also commend the President for suspending Bawa, the EFCC chairman .
We nevertheless had serious reservations over the quality and calibre of the leadership of the EFCC under Abdulrasheed Bawa but the President has quicky waded into that by removing Bawa.
“Of major concern is that action is yet to be taken on other principal collaborators such as the former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Saadiyya Umar Farouk, former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika.
“Indications are that between the four of them, trillions of naira of public funds have been lost to corrupt practices under various guises while the EFCC appeared helpless, but the group expressed happiness with the approach taken by the President concerning the EFCC chairman
“By now everyone is aware that the current leadership of the EFCC under Bawa was put in place and protected by the former AGF Malami for the sole purpose of covering up the monumental serial financial misconduct perpetrated in the previous administration.
“We were also worried by growing concerns that tend to suggest that the leadership of the EFCC is working to destroy evidence relating to financial crimes that could be linked to the ex-ministers by sneaking relevant documents out of the EFCC building. We have no doubt that to the President has the capacity to deal with issues relating to Bawa with the move he has taken because he who doesn’t have the moral right to investigate corrupt people.
“We call on President Bola Tinubu to urgently ensure the arrest of Abubakar Malami, Saadiyya Umar Farouk, Hadi Sirika, and others, and to quickly move to secure available evidence of corruption against them in the possession of the EFCC.
“We urge the President to constitute a more credible leadership of the EFCC, or in the alternative, set up an independent investigation panel of people of reputable integrity to conduct thorough and comprehensive investigations.
“In conclusion, we want to vehemently state that we have lost confidence in the current leadership of the EFCC. We once again appreciate the President for suspending the EFCC indefinitely for effective working of the anti graft agency.
“We firmly believe that a strong and credible EFCC is essential for the prosperity and development of our nation.
“We call on President Bola Tinubu to urgently ensure the arrest of Abubakar Malami, Saadiyya Umar Farouk, Hadi Sirika and others, and to quickly move to secure available evidence of corruption against them in the possession of the EFCC by immediately relieving Bawa and other top officials strongly believed to be Malami’s pawns of their position.
“In conclusion, we want to vehemently state that we have lost confidence in the current leadership of the EFCC but we are happy that the President had ordéred indefinite suspension of the EFCC chairman.
