President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria appointed a lawyer to lead the country’s anti-graft organization after the former leader was dismissed over corruption charges, his spokeswoman announced on Thursday.
Following a four-month indefinite suspension of Abdulrasheed Bawa for alleged abuse of power, Tinubu has nominated Ola Olukoyede, a former chief of staff, to the previous chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The greatest oil exporter and largest economy in Africa, which has struggled with pervasive corruption for decades, has tasked the EFCC with investigating and prosecuting wrongdoing.
The former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, is accused of accepting bribes in the form of money, luxury items, flights on private jets, and the use of upscale properties in Britain in exchange for awarding oil contracts. If confirmed by the Senate, Olukoyede will take the helm of the agency overseeing the extradition proceedings for Alison-Madueke.
Nigerians blame the political elite’s corruption for the country’s pervasive poverty, which is exacerbated by chronic dollar shortages a heavy debt load, double-digit inflation, and slow growth.
