Sagay: AGF, Malami Is A Politician — He Won’t Let Bawa Succeed

Itse Sagay, chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee
Against Corruption (PACAC), says he is worried that Abubakar
Malami, attorney-general of the federation, may interfere in the
duties of Abdulrasheed Bawa, newly-appointed chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The senate on Tuesday, confirmed Bawa as substantive chairman of
the EFCC after screening him for over two hours.

In an interview with The PUNCH,^[1] Sagay who described
Malami as a politician said the power of the AGF must be checked so
as not to control the activities of the anti-graft agency.

He faulted the fact that Malami and Bawa come from the same
state, adding that both might even be related.

“This issue is a very big question because I noticed that they
both come from the same state of Kebbi and they may even be
related,” Sagay said.

“For me, that is not a very healthy thing because the chairman
of the EFCC and the EFCC are supposed to be independent.

“They are not politicians, they are trained security officers.
The attorney-general is a politician who has all the weaknesses and
loads of a politician.

“He has people he is obliged to. He has people who are close to
him. Some of them may be criminals who might have committed crimes.
In fact, some of them may deliberately do things because they think
they know the attorney-general.

“So, in such a situation, if Bawa is related to the
attorney-general, then there will be a problem because he will not
be able to do his job freely because the attorney-general will
certainly interfere.

“He has already indicated his tendency to interfere in both the
EFCC and the ICPC with the regulations he purported to make months
ago. So, I am not comfortable at all that the possibility that they
might be related.”

The PACAC chairman said the AGF wielded too much power which has
increased over the years.

“Malami has never been inclined to allow the anti-corruption
agencies to operate freely. He is always sitting on their neck one
way or the other,” Sagay said.

“I have complained about that several times and nothing has
happened. In fact, he has become more powerful. So, I will not be
comfortable if they are related. I don’t want any outside influence
on the EFCC or the ICPC.”

Although admitting that he does not know the newly-appointed
chairman of the EFCC on a personal level, Sagay said he was
impressed by his curriculum vitae and background.

He said since Ibrahim Magu, former acting chairman of the
commission, had been removed, it was time for all parties to move
on and work together to ensure Bawa’s success.

“I don’t really know him. I have just read what has been said
about him and he seems to have impressive credentials and a fairly
good record from what I read apart from this issue of trucks which
the EFCC has denied on his behalf,” Sagay said.

“So, inasmuch as the removal of Magu to me looks unsatisfactory,
we have to move on and if he is as good as his credentials
indicate, then I think the future looks promising for the
EFCC.”

Itse Sagay, chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee
Against Corruption (PACAC), says he is worried that Abubakar
Malami, attorney-general of the federation, may interfere in the
duties of Abdulrasheed Bawa, newly-appointed chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The senate on Tuesday, confirmed Bawa as substantive chairman of
the EFCC after screening him for over two hours.

In an interview with The PUNCH,^[1]
Sagay who described Malami as a politician said the power of the
AGF must be checked so as not to control the activities of the
anti-graft agency.

He faulted the fact that Malami and Bawa come from the same
state, adding that both might even be related.

“This issue is a very big question because I noticed that they
both come from the same state of Kebbi and they may even be
related,” Sagay said.

“For me, that is not a very healthy thing because the chairman
of the EFCC and the EFCC are supposed to be independent.

“They are not politicians, they are trained security officers.
The attorney-general is a politician who has all the weaknesses and
loads of a politician.

“He has people he is obliged to. He has people who are close to
him. Some of them may be criminals who might have committed crimes.
In fact, some of them may deliberately do things because they think
they know the attorney-general.

“So, in such a situation, if Bawa is related to the
attorney-general, then there will be a problem because he will not
be able to do his job freely because the attorney-general will
certainly interfere.

“He has already indicated his tendency to interfere in both the
EFCC and the ICPC with the regulations he purported to make months
ago. So, I am not comfortable at all that the possibility that they
might be related.”

The PACAC chairman said the AGF wielded too much power which has
increased over the years.

“Malami has never been inclined to allow the anti-corruption
agencies to operate freely. He is always sitting on their neck one
way or the other,” Sagay said.

“I have complained about that several times and nothing has
happened. In fact, he has become more powerful. So, I will not be
comfortable if they are related. I don’t want any outside influence
on the EFCC or the ICPC.”

Although admitting that he does not know the newly-appointed
chairman of the EFCC on a personal level, Sagay said he was
impressed by his curriculum vitae and background.

He said since Ibrahim Magu, former acting chairman of the
commission, had been removed, it was time for all parties to move
on and work together to ensure Bawa’s success.

“I don’t really know him. I have just read what has been said
about him and he seems to have impressive credentials and a fairly
good record from what I read apart from this issue of trucks which
the EFCC has denied on his behalf,” Sagay said.

“So, inasmuch as the removal of Magu to me looks unsatisfactory,
we have to move on and if he is as good as his credentials
indicate, then I think the future looks promising for the
EFCC.”