President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday suspended indefinitely the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa.
He also directed the EFCC chairman to immediately hand over the control of the commission to the Director of Operations pending the conclusion of the investigation into his conduct in office.
The Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday night in Abuja.
Several groups and individuals had in the past demanded Bawa’s removal over alleged corruption.
The former Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle, last month alleged that the anti-graft czar demanded a $2 million bribe from him.
This followed the commission’s announcement on the planned investigation of the former governor and other individuals that served in the last political dispensation for alleged corruption.
The statement read: “President Tinubu has approved the indefinite suspension from office of AbdulRasheed Bawa, CON, as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office. This follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.
“Mr. Bawa has been directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation.”