Govs Under Watch For Stashed Cash Have Increased — Bawa

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has said the number of governors on the watchlist of the Commission over possible money laundering due to the planned Naira redesign, has increased.

He disclosed this to State House correspondents on Thursday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He, however, declined to give a specific number of those the commission was monitoring.

Recall that two weeks ago, Bawa had hinted of the EFCC’s surveillance activities surrounding three governors, whom he claimed were being watched over actions that appeared to be money laundering, in the aftermath of the federal government’s announcement to redesign the Naira currency.

Asked if it’s true he was using the EagleEye app to monitor governors wanting to use stashed funds to pay salaries, he said: “You are mixing two things. EagleEye is an app. It’s a novel idea of the EFCC that we launched for the ease of reporting a crime to us. Nigerians can easily download it on their phones, either Android or Apple or whatever. And then, of course, they can send in complaints to us through the EagleEye, you can even take pictures and send them.

“Let me use this opportunity to remind Nigerians that EagleEye is very important for those that are reporting the hoarders of these currencies that we know are out there.

“So, that is one. On the issue of the governors that we are monitoring, the number has even increased. We are monitoring everything.”

Bawa also lauded the proposal to redesign the Naira, calling it a crucial step in the nation’s fight against financial crimes and other types of corruption.

He said that the enormous amount of the nation’s currency that has escaped the control of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) makes it difficult to track down financial crimes.

He noted that the redesigning of the Naira was a chance for the government to retake control over the flow of money in the nation.

The EFCC boss also appealed to politicians to go about their campaigns without using illegitimate funds in their campaign finances.

He added: “For politicians, the message is very clear. Of course, you know, they should sell themselves, they should talk about issues.

“We want to hear about how they are going to solve the problems, not what the problems are, I think it is very important and I think they are doing that.

“And then of course we encourage that they shouldn’t use illegitimate funds in their campaign finances and all of that.”