Abdulrasheed Bawa: Why The Rage?

By Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa 

A prominent prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission EFCC Barr Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa have wrote why
the name Abdulrasheed Bawa sprang up prominently on the 16th of
February, 2021 when President Muhammadu Buhari nominated him as the
Executive Chairman of the EFCC. Shortly after the announcement, all
hell was let loose as various social media platforms started
witnessing a harvest of untrue, libellous and malicious
publications all in a desperate bid to paint the nominee as an
unfit and unqualified candidate in the eyes of the public and the
National Assembly saddled with the Constitutional and statutory
responsibility of confirming his appointment.

THE MAN BAWA:

In law there is what is called an eye witness’ account. This
specie of evidence often enjoys more probative value because it
seeks to establish with precision, the existence or non-existence
of a particular fact in issue. In this case, I believe I can offer
an insight about the man Abdulrasheed Bawa because I have had a
unique privilege of working closely with him.

“I know him to be one of the best (if not the best) hands in the
Commission. He has distinguished himself and is known for
performing his statutory functions within the three cardinal
pillars of the Commission’s core values to wit: integrity,
professionalism and courage”

INTEGRITY:

Fifth columnists, in their failed attempts to paint Mr.
Abdulrasheed Bawa as corrupt, alleged that he was arrested,
detained and investigated for oil theft and fraudulent sales of
some trucks in Port-Harcourt office.

I was glad when the Commission promptly straightened the record
by informing members of the public about the falsity of these
allegations. From the much I know of Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, at no
point in his carrier was he ever arrested, detained and or
investigated for any crime, let alone the fraudulent sale of
recovered proceeds of crime which he investigated and prosecuted to
a just conclusion. Truth be told, the Man Bawa is a man of
integrity.

PROFESSIONALISM AND COURAGE:

I can also attest to the fact that Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa
demonstrated his addiction to professionalism and courage in all
the formations of the Commission wherein he has served. He was
posted to Ibadan Zonal office of the Commission as the Head of the
Zone. In Ibadan, the nominee made serious indelible professional
and courageous marks in the Zone. With his effort, the conviction
rate of Ibadan Zone increased exponentially.

Having demonstrated his capacity to turn situations around, the
management of the Commission posted him to the second largest
operational hub of the Commission- Port Harcourt Zonal Office.
Whilst in that Zone, he did not only increase the conviction rate,
he was also able to recover proceeds of unlawful activities for
economic benefit of government and various victims.

His leadership skills, professionalism and integrity also earned
him his last posting to the largest operational hub of the
Commission – Lagos Zonal Office. For those who know this Zone, the
only conclusion they will come to is that Lagos Zonal office is now
a pacesetter and by far, the most organized Zone in the Commission.
To mention but a few, his achievements in the Lagos Zonal Office
includes; renovation of the entire premises, re-organisation of the
hitherto disorganised recovered proceeds of crimes/exhibits,
electronic movements register, migration from paper to digitalised
means of official communication and information sharing, accurate
data base and statistics, massive recovery of proceeds of crime and
convictions.

Oyedepo also noted that apart from his competence and capacity
to lead the Commission, I am highly convinced that in view of the
facts at hand and the provisions of section 1(2) of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004, Mr.
Abdulrasheed Bawa is statutorily qualified to be appointed as the
EFCC chairman.

The lawyer therefore appeal to the naysayers and those ganging
up to stop this moving train, to desist, as there is no need for
their rage. They should also note and know that there is nothing
more powerful than an idea whose time has come.

By Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa 

A prominent prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission EFCC Barr Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa have wrote why
the name Abdulrasheed Bawa sprang up prominently on the 16th of
February, 2021 when President Muhammadu Buhari nominated him as the
Executive Chairman of the EFCC. Shortly after the announcement, all
hell was let loose as various social media platforms started
witnessing a harvest of untrue, libellous and malicious
publications all in a desperate bid to paint the nominee as an
unfit and unqualified candidate in the eyes of the public and the
National Assembly saddled with the Constitutional and statutory
responsibility of confirming his appointment.

THE MAN BAWA:

In law there is what is called an eye witness’ account. This
specie of evidence often enjoys more probative value because it
seeks to establish with precision, the existence or non-existence
of a particular fact in issue. In this case, I believe I can offer
an insight about the man Abdulrasheed Bawa because I have had a
unique privilege of working closely with him.

“I know him to be one of the best (if not the best) hands in the
Commission. He has distinguished himself and is known for
performing his statutory functions within the three cardinal
pillars of the Commission’s core values to wit: integrity,
professionalism and courage”

INTEGRITY:

Fifth columnists, in their failed attempts to paint Mr.
Abdulrasheed Bawa as corrupt, alleged that he was arrested,
detained and investigated for oil theft and fraudulent sales of
some trucks in Port-Harcourt office.

I was glad when the Commission promptly straightened the record
by informing members of the public about the falsity of these
allegations. From the much I know of Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, at no
point in his carrier was he ever arrested, detained and or
investigated for any crime, let alone the fraudulent sale of
recovered proceeds of crime which he investigated and prosecuted to
a just conclusion. Truth be told, the Man Bawa is a man of
integrity.

PROFESSIONALISM AND COURAGE:

I can also attest to the fact that Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa
demonstrated his addiction to professionalism and courage in all
the formations of the Commission wherein he has served. He was
posted to Ibadan Zonal office of the Commission as the Head of the
Zone. In Ibadan, the nominee made serious indelible professional
and courageous marks in the Zone. With his effort, the conviction
rate of Ibadan Zone increased exponentially.

Having demonstrated his capacity to turn situations around, the
management of the Commission posted him to the second largest
operational hub of the Commission- Port Harcourt Zonal Office.
Whilst in that Zone, he did not only increase the conviction rate,
he was also able to recover proceeds of unlawful activities for
economic benefit of government and various victims.

His leadership skills, professionalism and integrity also earned
him his last posting to the largest operational hub of the
Commission – Lagos Zonal Office. For those who know this Zone, the
only conclusion they will come to is that Lagos Zonal office is now
a pacesetter and by far, the most organized Zone in the Commission.
To mention but a few, his achievements in the Lagos Zonal Office
includes; renovation of the entire premises, re-organisation of the
hitherto disorganised recovered proceeds of crimes/exhibits,
electronic movements register, migration from paper to digitalised
means of official communication and information sharing, accurate
data base and statistics, massive recovery of proceeds of crime and
convictions.

Oyedepo also noted that apart from his competence and capacity
to lead the Commission, I am highly convinced that in view of the
facts at hand and the provisions of section 1(2) of the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004, Mr.
Abdulrasheed Bawa is statutorily qualified to be appointed as the
EFCC chairman.

The lawyer therefore appeal to the naysayers and those ganging
up to stop this moving train, to desist, as there is no need for
their rage. They should also note and know that there is nothing
more powerful than an idea whose time has come.