EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has criticised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the prosecution and continued detention of two individuals, including a final-year student of Bayero University Kano (BUK), on allegations of cyberbullying the anti-graft agency.
In a post shared on his social media page on Thursday, Sowore accused the EFCC, under the leadership of Chairman Ola Olukoyede, of focusing on prosecuting critics instead of tackling corruption.
According to him, he attended two separate court proceedings before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, where the defendants, including Maryam Isa Shehu, were arraigned by the EFCC.
Sowore alleged that both defendants had spent nearly 30 days in detention before being brought before the court.
He further stated that despite their arraignment, the court remanded the defendants in separate correctional facilities pending further proceedings.
“In each case, the defendants had already spent close to 30 days in detention before they were brought before the court. Yet, instead of being allowed to return home while their cases proceed, they were both remanded in prison custody, Maryam was sent to Suleja Prison, while the other defendant was sent to Kuje Prison, where they are expected to remain until August 31,” Sowore wrote.
The activist expressed particular concern over the situation of Maryam Isa Shehu, describing her as a final-year student whose examinations are due to commence this Saturday.
“What makes Maryam’s situation even more disturbing is that she is a final-year university student who is due to begin her final examinations this Saturday.
“None of that appeared to matter,” he said.
Sowore questioned the EFCC’s decision to pursue the case, arguing that the agency’s primary responsibility should be combating corruption rather than prosecuting alleged cases of cyberbullying.
“An anti-corruption agency should be fighting corruption, not turning itself into an institution for hunting down, detaining and prosecuting citizens over criticism or alleged ‘cyberbullying.’
“What kind of institution detains a university student for nearly a month, arraigns her for allegedly cyberbullying the agency, and then seeks to keep her behind bars while her final examinations are about to begin?” he added.
The EFCC has yet to publicly respond to Sowore’s allegations as of the time of filing this report.
