Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has called on well-meaning Nigerians to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to obey the Supreme Court ruling of March 3, making the old N200, N500 and N1,000 bills legal tender till the end of this year.
The coalition, comprising eight CSOs also passed a vote of confidence in the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, for his achievement since he took over the leadership of the agency.
According to the CSOs, the continual disregard to the apex court’s ruling amounts to contempt and insensitivity to the suffering of Nigerians due to the policy.
The Convener and President, Campaign for Dignity in Governance, Razaq Olokoba, made the pronouncements yesterday at a world press conference on anti-corruption, which held at Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
The group, which includes Southern Coalition Movement, Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights among others, said EFCC, in the last seven years, had shown increased competence and commitment, particularly following the appointment of Bawa in February 2021.
It stated: “There was spike in convictions and recovery across all zones of the country. For example, between 2016 and 2019, the number of convictions secured rose from 195 to 1,280 and by 2021, the figure hit unprecedented 2,220, a value amounting to 98.47 per cent of all cases brought before the court of law.
“In the same year, over N150 billion was recovered, with recovery in other currencies such as $386 million, £1.182 million and €156,000 among others, while the monetary recovery was also higher in 2022.”
The group also remarked that under the leadership of Bawa, “corrupt politicians and public officers across party divides, fraud-stars across geo-political zones and men across faiths now know that the fear of EFCC is the beginning of wisdom.”
