EFCC Chairman, Bawa Storms Court over N1.4bn Oil Subsidy Case

Wale Igbintade

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, yesterday appeared before Justice Sedoton Ogunsanya of the Ikeja High Court in Lagos, to testify as a key prosecution witness in an alleged N1.4 billion oil subsidy fraud case. The EFCC is prosecuting the case against Nadabo Energy and its chairman, Abubakar Peters, for allegedly obtaining N1.4 billion from the federal government as oil subsidy using forged documents in 2015. Bawa investigated the case when he was an operative of the EFCC.

The defendants are also being accused of inflating the quantity of petrol purportedly supplied to the federal government to 14,000 metric tonnes. At the resumption of trial yesterday, the lead EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Seidu Atteh, told the court that he was ready to proceed with the examination of Bawa. But, trial was stalled, as a result of the absence of defendants’ counsel.

Justice Ogunsanya therefore, adjourned the case to Wednesday (today) and warned that the defendants will defend themselves if their counsel fails to show up in court.

Speaking with newsmen, about the event at the Presidential Villa, when he slumped during an event, EFCC chairman said that he was merely dehydrated.

The EFCC chairman also said he has been back on his feet the same day the incident happened.