Allowing convicts roam the streets portends danger to judicial system — Kogi to IGP on Bawa

…Asks IGP to immediately arrest EFCC boss, commit him to prison

… Says Nigerians know Commission’s media trial is politically motivated

The Kogi State Government has lambasted the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, for what it called baseless fixation on the state’s affairs with spurious allegations in a bid to satisfy certain political interests.

The State Government said it was sad that an agency charged with the responsibility of fighting graft in the country had turned itself into a pawn in the hands of political opponents of the Kogi State Government with untamed desperation to damage the integrity of the Governor and the Government of Kogi State.

It said the shadow chasing by the EFCC and their known and unknown sponsors would not distract the current administration in the state from serving the people.

The government, in a statement, titled, “EFCC has become an embarrassment to Nigeria,” signed by the Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, Kingsley Fanwo, also called on the Inspector-General of Police to immediately effect the arrest of Bawa and commit him to prison as ruled by a competent court.

“Allowing convicts to roam about the society portends a great danger to our judicial system. Rasheed Bawa cannot be allowed to continue to disobey Court Orders at will while also evading justice. Let justice be done,” the statement said.

Fanwo noted that the EFCC was known for media trial and that no amount of such would distract Governor Yahaya Bello from recording more successes in the state.

“The latest shenanigans of the EFCC is to accuse some members of the Governor’s family of corruption, arrest them without any prior invitation or warrant and against extant Court Orders restraining them from so doing and charge them to court. This has further exposed the uncivilised, unconstitutional and unethical practices of the anti-graft agency. Their latest approach has further confirmed to Nigerians that they have an institutional agenda against the Governor and Government of Kogi State,” he said.

According to him, Nigerians are wiser now and they know when an operation is politically motivated.

“We reiterate that funds belonging to the Kogi State Government are not missing and we retain our enviable status in the areas of transparency, accountability and probity. The shadow chasing by the EFCC and their known and unknown sponsors will not distract our administration from serving our people. The seeming attack on Governors that are committed to the victory of the APC Presidential Candidate by the anti-graft agency is well understood by discerning Nigerians. No force can stop the voice of the people,” the stage government said.

The Press statement in full reads, “EFCC HAS BECOME AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR NATION OVER ITS OBSESSION TO DESTROY THE INTEGRITY OF THE KOGI STATE GOVERNMENT.

“Our attention has been drawn to series of press statements and terribly woven media campaign against the Kogi State Government and the Governor of Kogi State by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),Mr. Wale Oyerinde. It is sad that an agency charged with the responsibility of fighting graft in the country has turned itself into a pawn in the hands of political opponents with an untamed desperation to damage the integrity of the Governor and the Government of Kogi State.

“The latest shenanigans of the EFCC is to accuse some members of the Governor’s family of corruption, arrest them without any prior invitation or warrant and against extant Court Orders restraining them from so doing and charging them to court. This has further exposed the uncivilised, unconstitutional and unethical practices of the anti-graft agency. Their latest approach has further confirmed to Nigerians that they have an institutional agenda against the Governor and Government of Kogi State. Nigerians are wiser now and they know when an operation is politically motivated.

“We reiterate that funds belonging to the Kogi State Government are not missing and we retain our enviable status in the areas of transparency, accountability and probity. The shadow chasing by the EFCC and their known and unknown sponsors will not distract our administration from serving our people. The seeming attack on Governors that are committed to the victory of the APC Presidential Candidate by the anti-graft agency is well understood by discerning Nigerians. No force can stop the voice of the people.

“Our decision to drag the Federal Government to court over the hardship experienced by Nigerians as a result of the apex bank’s monetary policies remains a conviction that we are committed to. We will not succumb to intimidation by any agency of Government.

“We have credible intelligence of plans by Kogites to protest against the EFCC for continually dragging the integrity of the state and its Governor in the mud, we however beseech our people to remain calm but steadfast. Rasheed Bawa, the EFCC Chairman is not bigger than the law no matter his degree of contempt for the Courts and constitutionalism. We will triumph.

“We hereby call on the Inspector General of Police who has been served with the order of Court to immediately arrest Rasheed Bawa and commit him to prison as mandated by a competent court of jurisdiction. Allowing convicts to roam about the society portends a great danger to our judicial system. Rasheed Bawa cannot be allowed to continue to disobey Court Orders at will while also evading justice. Let justice be done.”