The Senate on Wednesday screened President Muhammadu Buhari’s 40-year-old nominee for the office of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
Mr. Bawa who was accompanied by his family members and political associates, assured the Senate that he would be guided by the constitution of the country in the discharge of his duties.
While promising to leave the EFCC in a better place than he met it by the end of his tenure, Bawa said: “We need to repatriate all our stolen assets for the benefit of Nigerians”.
Mr. Bawa has worked with the anti-graft agency for 16 years and is a certified fraud examiner and anti-money laundering expert.
The new EFCC boss who graduated from the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics in 2001, joined the EFCC as an Assistant Detective Superintendent, ADS in 2004.
He also holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy and was part of the pioneer EFCC Cadet Officers, course one, 2005.
He rose through the ranks to become a Deputy Chief Detective Superintendent, DCDS, a position he has been holding since 2016 up till the time of his nomination as the anti-graft agency’s substantive chairman.
Bawa has vast investigation experience and has been part of the prosecution of advance fee fraud, official corruption, bank fraud, money laundering, and other economic and financial crimes related offences.
He takes over from Mohammed Umar, who has been in an acting capacity since July last year following the suspension of Ibrahim Magu over allegations of abuse of office.