EFCC Promotes Bawa ahead of Senate’s Confirmation
New acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has been promoted to the rank of Chief Detective Superintendent ahead of his Senate screening. This is coming amid a lawsuit challenging Bawa’s qualification for the EFCC top job.
By Ovie Edomi
It would be recalled that section 2 of the EFCC Act states that a person who will be appointed as chairman of the commission must have at least 15 years experience and must be the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police or its equivalent.
Bawa, who was appointed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on February 16, 2021, was on Grade Level 13 and a Deputy Chief Detective Superintendent.
The South South International gathered that a Commissioner of Police, a Customs Area Controller and a Brigadier General in the Army are all on Grade Level 15 while a Deputy Commissioner is on grade level 14, .and an Assistant Commissioner of Police is a grade level 13 officer.
This may be why a lawyer, Osuagwu Ugochukwu, filed a suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop the Senate confirmation of Bawa.
However, our Reporter gathered that Bawa and his course mates were given letters of promotion with immediate effect yesterday An inside source in the EFCC told our Reporter that with the new promotion, Bawa is now qualified to take on the new job.
The source, who pleaded anonymous, said Bawa and his mates who are part of the pioneer Course 1 of the EFCC Cadet Officers were supposed to have been promoted over a year ago but that their promotions were delayed by the police-led leadership of the commission.
Curiously, with the promotion of Bawa and his course mates to Level 14, there are speculations that this will put to rest the controversy surrounding his eligibility for the role of EFCC chairman.
Meanwhile, our Reporter also learnt that the Presidency was seeking to appoint a new secretary of the commission to replace Mr Ola Olukoyede who is still on suspension. There are speculations that a member of the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel was one of the persons being considered for the appointment of secretary of the commission. How this will play out remains to be see in the days ahead.
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