“According to sources within the DSS, an amount exceeding N580 million has been seized from the former EFCC Chairman, Bawa, while there are increasing demands for either his prosecution or his release.”

Amid mounting pressure on the Department of State Services (DSS) to either release Abdulrasheed Bawa or charge him with crimes discovered during the secret police’s investigation.

It has been revealed that Nigeria’s secret police has recovered an amount exceeding N580 million from the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa. Sources within the DSS, where Bawa has been detained since June, disclosed this information.

The situation involves calls for the DSS to take action against Bawa based on the findings of their investigation into his alleged offenses.

In June, President Bola Tinubu suspended Bawa indefinitely as the EFCC chairman to allow for a thorough investigation into his conduct during his tenure, in response to serious allegations of abuse of office.

Following his suspension by the president, Bawa was taken into custody by the DSS on June 14, and he has remained in detention since then.

In August, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) threatened to take legal action against President Tinubu’s administration over Bawa’s continued detention by the DSS without being formally charged.

Additionally, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, criticized the administration for detaining Bawa and the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, without a trial, asserting that it is indefensible to detain individuals for extended periods without trial.

According to sources, an amount of over N580 million has been recovered from the imprisoned former EFCC chairman. In June, it was reported that Bawa had been moved from the DSS headquarters to a private facility to maintain complete control over him after he refused to provide any statements while in custody.

Bawa reportedly maintained that the DSS had no right to detain him without formal charges, hence his refusal to provide statements during his detention.

Additionally, he was accused of shielding former Governor of Zamfara, Abdulaziz Yari, while helping him target his opponents. Throughout his detention, Bawa has consistently refused to cooperate with DSS investigators.