SOME Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country have called for the sack of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, over his disobedience of court orders.
The coalition of CSOs, comprising over 40 groups, made the demand at a press conference in Lagos on Friday, February 10.
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“EFCC’s Gestapo-style regime of disobeying court orders must stop. Nigeria is not a banana republic. Attempts by institutions of state to ridicule the country and make it seem like a lawless fiefdom must be resisted by all. The EFCC seems to be allowing itself to be used as an instrument of political witch-hunt as it targets some individuals more than many others,” the groups noted.
Describing the disregard of court orders as an invitation to anarchy, the CSOs noted that the anti-graft agency and its leadership should display respect for the country’s judicial system.
EFCC chairman, Bawa, has been committed to prison for contempt of court twice in the last 12 weeks.
On Monday February 6, a Kogi State high court ordered his arrest and detention in relation to a corruption case involving a nephew to the state governor, Yahaya Bello.
The Commission, however, appealed the judgment and urged the Court of Appeal in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to stop the arrest and detention of its chairman.
Earlier, in November 2022, a high court in the FCT ordered Bawa’s remand for contempt.
The conviction was, however, set aside by the same court.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.