By News Desk
ABUJA, Nigeria — Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has strongly criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under the leadership of Ola Olukoyede following the court arraignment and remand of a final-year university student.
In a statement released on social media, Sowore detailed his attendance at two separate court sittings before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, where defendants were arraigned by the EFCC on charges pertaining to alleged “cyberbullying” directed at the anti-graft agency.
Prolonged Detention and Remand Ahead of Exams
Among those arraigned was Maryam Isa Shehu, a final-year student at Bayero University Kano (BUK). According to Sowore, Shehu and another co-defendant had been held in detention for nearly 30 days prior to their formal court appearance.
Sowore highlighted key details regarding the judicial proceedings:
- Custodial Remand: Following their arraignment, Justice Abdulmalik ordered Shehu remanded at the Suleja Custodial Centre, while the second defendant was remanded at the Kuje Custodial Centre until late August.
- Academic Impact: The activist pointed out that Shehu is scheduled to begin her final university examinations this Saturday, warning that her continued remand jeopardizes her academic standing.
- Agency Mandate: Sowore argued that the EFCC has strayed from its statutory mandate of investigating economic and financial crimes by using state apparatus to detain and prosecute citizens over public criticism or social media posts.
Reactions and Mandate Concerns
The incident has sparked renewed public debate among legal practitioners and civil rights advocates regarding the scope of law enforcement powers, administrative detentions, and the enforcement of cybercrime legislation against public critics.
Neither the EFCC leadership nor its official media representatives have issued a formal response addressing Sowore’s allegations or the specifics of the court order.
