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BREAKING: DSS takes suspended EFCC chairman in for questioning

The DSS said Bawa arrived at its office on Wednesday following invitation relating to some investigations concerning him.
The newly-appointed Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa. [Twitter/@officialEFCC]
The newly-appointed Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa. [Twitter/@officialEFCC]

The suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa, has been taken in by the Department of States Service (DSS) for investigation.

This was disclosed by the secret police in a terse statement by its Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya, on the night of Wednesday, June 14, 2023.

According to the service, Bawa was invited in relation to some investigative activities concerning his stewardship of the anti-graft commission.

The DSS said the suspended EFCC chairman arrived at its office on Wednesday evening to honour the invitation.

The statement read: "The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, the suspended Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Bawa arrived a few hours ago.

"The invitation relates to some investigative activities concerning him," Afunanya added.

Tinubu suspends Bawa

This development comes barely three hours after President Bola Tinubu suspended Bawa as EFCC chairman.

A statement by the Director of Information at the Office to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, said Bawa was suspended over allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.

According to the President, the suspension takes effect immediately, while Bawa was directed to hand over the affairs of his office to the Director of Operations in the commission.

Like Emefiele, like Bawa

Bawa's suspension came five days after President Tinubu approved the suspension of Godwin Emefiele as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor.

The Federal Government said Emefiele was suspended because of an ongoing investigation as well as a planned reform of the financial sector.

Following his suspension, he was directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, who has since been acting as the CBN Governor.

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