EFCC drops charges against BUK student and another suspect

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has ordered the withdrawal of charges against a final-year student of Bayero University Kano (BUK), Maryam Shehu. This decision came a day after she appeared in the Federal High Court in Abuja. She was accused of spreading false information about the commission on social media.

Mr Olukoyede also ordered the withdrawal of a similar charge against Abubakar Abdulhamid.

The prosecution faced backlash from lawyers and many Nigerians. They raised concerns about how the EFCC handled the cases.

A statement from the EFCC mentioned that Mr Olukoyede's decision followed appeals for leniency from Nigerians and an apology from Ms Shehu's father. The statement, signed by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, said, "To this end, he has directed that charges filed against the two young Nigerians be dropped and warned that the EFCC would no longer tolerate any wilful attack on its image in any form, medium or platform."

Mr Olukoyede also assured Nigerians that the commission would continue to act in line with its assigned duties and in the best interests of the country.

On Friday, activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, who supported Ms Shehu’s release, pointed out that even with the charges dropped, their release was still delayed. The judge who had remanded them had not sat in court that day.

“Unfortunately, the Federal High Court judge who sat yesterday and remanded them in Kuje and Suleja prisons respectively has not sat all day today, so their release is still being delayed,” he said.

“We are glad that wisdom finally prevailed at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” he added.

Mr Sowore thanked other lawyers who came to support the cause. He noted the presence of the National Association of Nigerian Students at the court to back Maryam’s freedom. “Their solidarity is greatly appreciated,” he said.

“We sincerely hope that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik will still show up and sit, even briefly, today so that Maryam can regain her freedom and commence her final examinations tomorrow,” he stated. He urged Bayero University Kano to take note of her situation and allow her to rewrite any missed exams.

The prosecution came under fire from lawyers who questioned whether the EFCC had the authority to handle cases of defamation and social media posts. Hamza Dantani, an Abuja-based lawyer, urged the commission to work within the limits of its laws.

He pointed out that defamation does not automatically become a financial crime when done online. “The EFCC cannot assume jurisdiction over every allegation simply because the matter is controversial or attracts public attention,” he said.

He criticized the publication of suspects' images before conviction. He said this could harm their rights to dignity, privacy, and the presumption of innocence. He cited sections of the 1999 Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

“The EFCC must remain an EFCC, not a general-purpose police force, not a civil-defamation tribunal, and certainly not a court of law,” he said. He called on the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to review the case and ensure the EFCC stays within its legal boundaries.

Another lawyer, Abba Hikima, also urged Mr Fagbemi to take action. He mentioned that Ms Shehu spent 35 days in EFCC custody before the charges were filed. He questioned the delay in filing the case based on a social media post.

Mr Hikima also noted that Ms Shehu had made a corruption allegation against an EFCC zonal director and asked if it had been investigated. He called for an inquiry into the allegation and for Ms Shehu to be granted bail.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the two defendants appeared before Justice Abdulmalik to answer to one count each. They both pleaded not guilty when their charges were read.

The EFCC claimed that Ms Shehu was charged for a post on her Instagram account, @maryamshehu. They alleged that on June 21, she posted a message saying EFCC officials assaulted Ahmed Uthman on the instructions of a zonal director who took N20 million from Usman Abbas. The EFCC said this was meant to damage its reputation.

Mr Abdulhamid faced similar charges. The EFCC claimed he posted an image on his X account, @shuraimi, that looked like an official EFCC arrest placard. The image falsely portrayed Sadeeq Kabeer as an EFCC suspect, saying, "His only crime was selling laptops at an affordable price to students."

After the pleas were entered, prosecution lawyer Elizabeth Alabi asked the court to set a trial date. She requested that Ms Shehu be held in Suleja Correctional Centre, Niger State. But her lawyer, C.O. Amalaha, asked the judge to grant bail on easy terms.

Mr Abdulhamid's lawyer, Adamu Adamu, also informed the court of his client's bail request. He requested that his client be kept in EFCC custody.

Mrs Abdulmalik ordered that Ms Shehu be held in Suleja Correctional Centre and Mr Abdulhamid in Kuje Correctional Centre. The case was adjourned to August 31 for the bail applications and trial to begin.

The EFCC said the prosecution was part of efforts to hold accountable those who blackmail and damage the commission’s image.