Following our report, yesterday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially confirmed that indeed, Mr. Abdulkarim Chukkol is now the Acting Chairman of the anti-graft agency.
This is following the suspension of the Commission’s embattled Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, by President Bola Tinubu, “to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.”
A statement on Wednesday by Willie Bassey, a Director of Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), said Bawa’s suspension followed weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.
Bawa was directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the anti-graft agency, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the EFCC pending the conclusion of the investigation.
An online newspaper (Not METROWATCH), had subsequently reported that Mohammed Umar Abba was now the Acting Chairman of the EFCC. The newspaper had noted that Umar was until Bawa’s suspension the EFCC’s Director of Operations.
However, we had reported on Wednesday night that findings by our correspondent showed that Mr. Abdulkarim Chukkol, who is the current Director, Operations of the EFCC, is now the anti-graft agency’s Acting Chairman, and not Abba.
Abba served out as Director, Operations from 2017 – 2020 when he became Acting Chairman following the suspension from office of the then Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
On Thursday, EFCC, in a statement published on its website and social media pages, confirmed that Chukkol has indeed stepped in as Acting Chairman of the Commission.
PROFILE: ABDULKARIM CHUKKOL
A pioneer staff of the anti-graft Commission and an illustrious member of the EFCC Cadet Course One, Mr. Chukkol is a consummate and vastly experienced investigator with specialty in cybercrime and money laundering.
His Command appointments in the Commission include spells as Head of the Advance Fee Fraud and Cybercrime Sections of the Lagos and Abuja Zonal Commands between 2011 – 2016, pioneer Commander of the Uyo Zonal Command in 2017 and Commander of Port Harcourt Zonal Command in 2020.
Chukkol has participated in several special operations with international law enforcement organizations and maintains close relationship with Law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, UK National Crime Agency, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Secret Service, Australian Federal Police, Dutch Police, German Police, South African Police etc.
The acting EFCC Boss has worked closely with other Governments to develop law and infrastructure for carrying out law enforcement actions. He is Nigeria’s Contact person at the International Mass Marketing Fraud Working Group representing key Government regulatory, law enforcement, prosecution, Immigration and Customs, Financial Intelligence, Consumer Protection agencies as well and trade and competition bureaus dealing with mass marketing-related issues from Spain, Nigeria, Belgium, Europol, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States.
He has attended several courses, seminars and workshops on Public Corruption, Advance Fee Fraud and other economic and financial crimes both locally and internationally, including the Oxford University, United Kingdom, in 2022.
His work and initiatives over the years have earned him several awards and commendations both locally and internationally, including “the Most Outstanding Award in Operations” by the EFCC and the “Outstanding Performance Award” by the United States Department of Justice, among others.
The acting EFCC Chairman, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Maiduguri (2000) and Post-Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia, United States as well as Graduate Diploma in Cybersecurity and Spectrum Management from the United States Telecommunication Training Institute, Washington DC, United States.
He is also an alumnus of the FBI National Academy, Quantico; European Center of Security Studies, Germany and a Fellow of the War College, Nigeria.
