EFCC chairman Bawa gets death threats for fighting corruption

Abdulrasheed Bawa was appointed chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) four months ago, but he's already receiving death threats.

The 40-year-old said during an interview on Channels TV on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 that he's received death threats for doing his job, with one coming as recently as last week.

He said, "A very senior citizen received a phone call from somebody that is not even under investigation.

"What he said to him on the phone was that he is going to kill the EFCC chairman, the young man.

"He said, 'I am going to kill him. I am going to kill him.'

"Just to tell you how bad it is. It's actually real. Corruption can fight back."

Despite the challenges, Bawa said he won't be fazed from doing his job, and remains optimistic about taming the monster of corruption in Nigeria.

He said the anti-graft commission has a particular focus on dealing with money launderers as they are gatekeepers that sustain the stealing habit of many criminals.

"90% to 100% of resources are being laundered through the real estate," he noted.

He also praised the efforts of the agency, boasting that no other organisation in Nigeria has contributed to the development of law in the past 15 years more than the EFCC.

"We manage the biggest chamber in this country, and investigated and prosecuted governors, top security personnel, generals, and ministers.

"That has never happened before in this country," he said.

Bawa did admit that even though the EFCC is not perfect, it is doing its best to sanitise Nigeria.