President Bola Tinubu has announced the indefinite suspension of Abdulrasheed Bawa, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The decision, as stated in a release from the presidency on Wednesday, aims to facilitate a thorough investigation into Bawa’s conduct while in office. The suspension follows significant allegations of abuse of power levied against him.
The presidency’s statement outlined that Bawa has been instructed to immediately hand over the responsibilities of his office to the Director of Operations within the commission. The Director will assume the role of overseeing the Chairman’s duties until the investigation is concluded.
Bawa’s suspension comes shortly after President Tinubu suspended the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, from office. The suspension of Emefiele had been confirmed by Willie Bassey, the Director of Information for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. Bassey stated that Emefiele’s suspension was in connection with an ongoing investigation into his office and planned reforms within the financial sector.
According to Bassey’s statement, Emefiele has been directed to promptly transfer the responsibilities of his office to the Deputy Governor in the Operations Directorate. The Deputy Governor will act as the Central Bank Governor during the investigation and reform processes.
These recent suspensions by President Tinubu demonstrate a commitment to conducting thorough investigations and ensuring proper governance in key institutions. The actions reflect the administration’s determination to address allegations of misconduct and pursue necessary reforms for a transparent and efficient financial sector.
