The presidency on Monday gave reasons why the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa has not been charged to court.
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale said the federal government is still conducting investigations into the activities of Bawa while in office and will soon charge him to court upon the completion of the investigation.
Recall that Bawa was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) on June 14 after his suspension by President Bola Tinubu. Nothing has been heard about him since then.
Many lawyers and rights groups have spoken against the indefinite detention of Bawa without charge, saying it is an abuse of his fundamental human rights.
When asked about Bawa’s fate, Ngelale who spoke while featuring as a guest on Channels Television programme ‘Sunrise Daily’ which was monitored by QUEST TIMES said there is no way Bawa can be charged to court without conclusion of investigation which according to him is at an ‘advanced stage’.
Describing Bawa’s case as ‘sticky and sensitive’, Ngelale also said Bawa’s case will be treated specially because he was holding a topmost sensitive position.
ALSO READ: See Why Acting CBN Gov Folashodun Shonubi, Deputy Have Been Dragged To Court
He said “I believe that process has already started. It is a sticky and sensitive situation. When you are talking about institutions like the DSS, and EFCC where you are dealing with the individuals who are holding the topmost national secret, you cannot treat all cases the same way. Yes, the legal process is the same. I am not saying there is selectivity or anything like that”.
“What I am saying is that certain individuals have access to a higher classification of sensitive information and on the basis of that, that would certainly impact the way you house these individuals versus somebody who did not have access to top-level classification because you are dealing with the ability to transmit information between individuals while they are being detained as the legal processes is playing out”.
“When somebody is under an investigation, this is normal anywhere in the world. If you go even to the United States, you don’t have a situation where you only take someone to court on day one before you start an investigation. Investigations go to an advanced level before it hits the court”.
“We are at the advanced level of our investigation and it is going to get to the court. What we are assuring is that we don’t have flight risk and that we don’t have a situation where somebody with secret information and someone who may have done a particular extent of harm is in a position where they can simply go away scot-free”.