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EFCC recovers $153 million from Diezani, as Bawa vows to quit if… 

Anthony Iwuoma

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, said it had recovered  $153 million from  ex-Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison Madueke.
The disclosure was made by the new chairman of the anti-graft agency, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who also said he would resign if he comes under political pressure.
Additionally, about 80 choice property valued at $80 million were seized from the former oil minister, who has been in the United Kingdom since 2015, which has made it impossible to bring her to justice.
Bawa said: “There are several cases surrounding Diezani’s case. I was part of that investigation, and we have done quite a lot. In one of the cases, we recovered $153 million; we have secured the final forfeiture of over 80 property in Nigeria valued at about $80 million. We have done quite a bit on that.
“The other cases as it relates to the $115 million INEC bribery, is also ongoing across the federation. We are looking forward to the time we will, maybe, have her in the country, and, of course, review things and see what will happen going forward. The case has certainly not been abandoned.’’
The chairman vowed that he would not pay allegiance to individuals in the government, adding that he would quit if he comes under any undue pressure to compromise his position or go against the law.  the job if anyone tried to make him to do what was illegal.
According to him, “I rose through the ranks. The only job I know after graduation is the EFCC, which I joined in 2004. I rose through the ranks from an ordinary team member, to the first EFCC team leader from the regular staff of the EFCC.
“I became a sectional head, became the zonal head in Ibadan, zonal head in Port Harcourt, and zonal head in Lagos. Lagos is the biggest operational hub of the EFCC with over 600 personnel. Port Harcourt is next to it in terms of complexity and staff strength. I happen to be the first EFCC regular staff to head three different zones before my appointment as the chairman.
“The records are there. And it is a challenge I have taken upon myself to do without fear or favour. That is the truth. If anybody is coming to ask me to do something that is contrary to my conscience or what the EFCC is set out to achieve, I’m going to resign.”
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