The Arewa Youth Assembly has hailed the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa for achieving 2,220 convictions in one year, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to include more youth in his administration for improved performance.
The EFCC under AbdulRasheed Bawa within 2021 achieved 2,220 convictions and recovered N152 billion, $386 million dollars, £1 million British pounds, €156,246 Euros, 1.7 Saudi riyals, and five million bitcoins among others.
The youth in a press briefing on Sunday addressed by its publicity secretary, Aliyu Sanni, said the increase in EFCC convictions and billions of money recovered in naira and other curencies, under the youthful Bawa, prove that the youth can be trusted to deliver on the mandate handed over to them irrespective of the inherent challenges.
“A year ago, the Arewa Youths Assembly rallied and fought for the youths in Nigeria, airing their views and pressing the ultimate demands home on the need for youth inclusiveness in governance at all levels. The fight gained ground and we saw the nomination of Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, a 40-year-old, as the chairman of EFCC, the first career operative of the commission.
“The Arewa Youth Assembly stood by the chairman, encouraging and motivating him to deliver as a youth, fight corruption and corrupt individuals aggressively by all means legally possible to redeem the image of Nigeria before the world and also not betray the confidence and opportunity confided in him by President Muhammadu Buhari. Even when threats of life and other challenges were facing Mr Bawa, the youths supported him.
“In the shortest period of Mr Bawa’s watch as the chairman of the EFCC, a lot has changed, looters are forced to surrender as they have no running place, the anti-corruption fight has taken a new dimension which is already bringing back the sincerity and honesty of this giant of Africa before the world, with his energy as a youth and his vast experience, Mr Bawa has continued to ensured rapid, yet careful investigations, prosecution of defaulters in economic and financial crimes offences.
“Some of the outstanding achievements of the 40-year-old within 12 months include; recovery of a huge sum N152, 088,698,751. 64, $386, 220,202.84, £1, 182,519.75, €156,246.76, 1,723,310.00 Saudi Riyal, 1,900.00 South African Rand, and 1, 400.00 Canadian Dollar and a digital currency component with 5, 36957319 bitcoin and 0.09012 ethereum,” he said.
