‘Don’t Rejoice Yet Because We Are Coming After You’

‘Don’t Rejoice Yet Because We Are Coming After You’;  that is the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), speaking.

 The man, Abdularasheed Bawa directed the statement to former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, implying he should not think he had evaded EFCC’s prosecution

Addressing journalists during the weekly ministerial chat at the State House in Abuja., Bawa said he was not perturbed by threats to his life but determined to prosecute the many pending cases under trial.

The boss of  the anti graft agency also clarified reports accredited to him concerning the involvement of a Minister in the laundering of about $37 million into real estate, saying that he was simply making reference to an old case involving a former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Madueke.

The EFCC Chairman further disclosed that in his first 100 days in office, the agency is working on a number of proactive strategies including a special control unit against money laundering, established particularly to address non-designated financial institutions including car dealers, real estate, jewellery dealers, among others.

Bawa was also reported in Channels as expressing confidence that when the unit is fully established, corruption will significantly decline in the country.

He then added that the agency is equally working towards the development of a biometric ownership database to address money laundering.

According to him, most proceeds of crime are laundered through real estate and have become a huge challenge. He gives examples of property acquired especially in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt where billions of naira are laundered through this means.

He, however, declined to disclose actual perpetrators or the properties involved.

– Don’t Rejoice Yet –

He revealed that since his assumption, a number of recoveries have been made including N6billion, $161million, £13,000 pounds, €1,730 among others.

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Internet fraudsters numbering 1,502 have also been apprehended between January to June 2021and efforts are underway to file about 800 of them. A hundred cases will be filed in court.