New EFCC chairman denies illegal sale of recovered assets

New Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has denied selling recovered assets while serving as Port Harcourt zonal officer of the commission.

He also said the commission would waste no time in the digitisation of its operations.

Bawa made the clarification while responding to questions during his screening by the Senate on Wednesday in Abuja.

He explained that the EFCC Secretary was the only person authorised to dispose of recovered assets.

According to him, the assets in question were sold by EFCC Secretary and three directors, who travelled from the headquarters to Port Harcourt to carry out the exercise.

He also dismissed the claim that he was arrested by former acting EFCC Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu for undisclosed reasons, saying he had a good working relationship with him.

Bawa said that he was eminently qualified to be appointed as EFCC Chairman based on his years of service and the extant laws.

Bawa said digitalisation would enable Nigerians to have access to information on EFCC operations.

He said the commission recorded 216 convictions on cases prosecuted in court during his stay as Port Harcourt Zonal Officer.

Bawa said the EFCC secured convictions for over 90 per cent of all cases prosecuted in court.

He said there was a need to equip the EFCC Academy in line with modern-day realities of fighting financial crimes.