By Ogochukwu Isioma
Following the suspension of Abdulrasheed Bawa from office as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the anti-graft agency’s Director of Operations, has been asked to step in, in Acting capacity.
An online newspaper, The PUNCH, 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, checks by METROWATCHXTRA.COM on Wednesday night showed that CE 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.
Further checks on the official website of the EFCC equally showed that Chukkol was quoted in several media report of the anti-graft agency as its current Director of Operations.
He will now step in as Acting Chairman of the EFCC, acting on the presidential directive.
Meanwhile, apparently realising its publication error, The PUNCH has now deleted its earlier report on Abba assuming office as Acting Chairman of the EFCC.
Checks on the newspaper’s website Wednesday night for the previous story titled: ‘6 things to know about Acting EFCC Chairman, Mohammed Abba‘, returned an ‘ERROR 404‘.
CE ABDULKARIM CHUKKOL: ACTING EFCC CHAIRMAN
Chukkol is one of the young officers elevated following the appointment of Bawa over a year and half ago.
Chukkol earned a degree from the University of Maiduguri in 2000 and has attended various trainings such as the FBI National Academy, Quantico; the University of Virginia (Postgraduate Diploma in Criminal Justice Education), and United States Telecommunications Training Institute (Cybersecurity and Spectrum Monitoring).
Chukkol was also at the Canadian Police College (Criminal Justice Education course) in 2006.
Backstory:
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday approved the indefinite suspension from office of Bawa as the Chairman of the EFCC, “to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.”
A statement 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.
