Operatives of the Department of State Services have conducted a search of the Abuja home and office of the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa.
The secret police, also during the week,
invited Bawa’s close associates in the EFCC for questioning, over alleged
mismanagement, misappropriation and diversion of proceeds of sold assets
forfeited to the EFCC.
However, when contacted on Wednesday to speak
on the development, the spokesperson for the DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, said, “No
comments.”
Bawa, who is currently being held in the
custody of the DSS “Yellow House,” Abuja, is being probed for alleged financial
impropriety as EFCC helmsman.
President Bola Tinubu had on June 14
suspended Bawa as EFCC chairman indefinitely, following which the DSS picked
him up.
It was gathered that the search on his
Gwarinpa home in Abuja was carried out on Saturday, in the presence of his wife
and children.
An impeccable source, privy to the operation,
noted that Bawa’s office was also searched on the same day by another set of
DSS operatives who presented a search warrant.
“DSS operatives stormed the EFCC Headquarters
in Jabi on Saturday to search the office of the suspended chairman. But they
presented a search warrant. Another set of DSS operatives also searched Bawa’s
home in Gwarinpa, and they met his wife and children in the house during the
search.
“Bawa’s close associates at the office were
also invited for questioning this week, and they’re being probed on allegations
of mismanagement, misappropriation, and diversion of proceeds forfeited assets
sold under Bawa’s watch,” the source said.
A government source, who also pleaded
anonymity, however, said the DSS had yet to file charges against the embattled
EFCC boss as investigation was still ongoing.
“The DSS is yet to charge him to court
because they’re still carrying out their investigation to get enough evidence
to help their case.”
The spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson
Uwujaren, did not respond to an inquiry by our correspondent on Wednesday over
the development.
Meanwhile, the
DSS had obtained an ex parte order to extend Bawa’s detention in their
facility, while they continue with their investigation.
Speaking to one of our correspondents, a
government source said the move by the DSS was to deter Bawa from filing
lawsuits to challenge his detention.
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