An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has said the prolonged detention of Nigeria’s former Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa by the Department of State Services (DSS) is unconstitutional and a breach of the fundamental rights of the detainee.
The human rights lawyer who said keeping the former EFCC boss without trial added that, “Illegality cannot beget another illegality. The DSS should immediately release Bawa to rejoin his family without further delay, or charge him to court to face charges preferred against him by the Federal Government. Anything outside these two options is alien to court and won’t stand.
“Without any contradiction, the continued detention of Bawa by the secret police for over three weeks now is unconstitutional and a breach of the fundamental rights of the detainee.”
The DSS reportedly arrested the former EFCC chair on June 14 shortly after President Bola Tinubu ordered his suspension from office.
A statement by the Director of Information, Office of the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, had announced that Bawa’s suspension was connected with “weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him”.
The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, in a statement, had said the former EFCC boss got to the facility of the DSS on June 14 following an invitation after he had been suspended by President Tinubu.
“The invitation relates to some investigative activities concerning him,” Afunanya had said.
However, it was gathered that since the arrest of the former EFCC chair, the DSS had not made any definite statement on the extent of the investigation so far done regarding the detainee.
Media reports disclosed that the DSS conducted a search on the ex-EFCC’s office and his house in Abuja after the arrest.
Reports also disclosed that efforts made to connect with Afunanya on Monday on the matter were unsuccessful.