"I've been receiving death threats" - EFCC Chairman

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa has said that he's been receiving death threats since he was appointed chairman of the anti-graft agency.

Bawa disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily.

He recalled how someone who isn't investigated by the agency, threatened to kill him. The EFCC Chairman said;

“Last week I was in New York. A very senior citizen received a phone call from somebody who is not even under EFCC investigation. What he said to him is that I am going to kill the EFCC boss, the young man.

“This to tell you how real corruption can fight back. Yes because if you look at it, almost everywhere there are elements of it (corruption), but I am very optimistic we will succeed in taming the monster of corruption in this country."

Bawa also revealed that the commission is expending energy on how to crack down on the gatekeepers of the proceeds of corruption in the country.

He said;

“Our attention is geared toward dealing with the issue of the utilization of funds whether in the private or public sector. We are looking at the avenue in which they are laundering the proceeds.

“We are looking forward to dealing with what we call gatekeepers in money laundering to have rigorous and effective control over them.”

He added that since Nigerians are very religious, the commission has designed a manual to engage religious bodies.

The EFCC Chairman said;

 “Nigeria is a very religious country and that is why one of the issues that we do in public enlightenment is to engage with leaders of religious bodies.

“We are soon going to launch our interface with the Christian and Islamic communities to engage them on the ills of corruption.

“We have already designed the manual for that.”