Northern group demands release of detained EFCC boss, Bawa

A civil society group under the aegies of Northwest Alliance for Citizens Freedom (NWCF), has called for the immediate release of the suspended chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdurasheed Bawa, from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The group, in a letter to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, said Bawa’s prolonged detention by the DSS without being charged to court was a violation of his constitutional and human rights.

In the letter signed by NWCF’s President-General, Lawal Ibrahim Jamaare, the group expressed concern over Bawa’s arbitrary arrest and unexplained detention, saying it was akin to a vendetta against him.

“Since his suspension by President Bola Tinubu on June 14, Abdurasheed Bawa has languished in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for 33 days,” the letter reads.

Read also: DSS invites suspended EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa

“During this time, no specific reasons have been provided for his arrest, and there has been a lack of transparency surrounding the investigation and any potential charges against him.

“The prolonged detention of Bawa by the DSS is a clear violation of his constitutional and human rights. Under the 1999 Constitution and other relevant laws, every individual is entitled to personal liberty, and any arrest or detention must be carried out in a manner prescribed by law.

“NWCF emphasises that the denial of access to legal counsel and family members further compounds the violation and runs contrary to international human rights norms, which expressly forbid arbitrary or unlawful detention.

“In light of these serious concerns, NWCF has adopted resolutions and presented demands, vehemently condemning the unlawful arrest and detention of Abdurasheed Bawa.

“The group is urging the Nigerian government to uphold its obligations in safeguarding human rights and the rule of law.

“NWCF asserts that the actions of the DSS represent a flagrant breach of the rights enshrined in the 1999 Constitution and various regional and international treaties that Nigeria has pledged to uphold,” the letter stated.

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