BY: AMINU SALISU DWOLF, KANO
Calls have intensified for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release Kano-based blogger, Maryam Shehu, who is reportedly being held in Abuja for more than 30 days.
Supporters and individuals working on her case have urged the anti-graft agency to either charge her before a competent court if there is sufficient evidence of an offence or release her if there is no lawful basis for her continued detention.
They have also appealed to human-rights organisations and other relevant civil society groups to intervene, saying that prolonged detention without charge raises serious concerns about due process and the protection of fundamental rights.
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Shehu was reportedly arrested in Kano and subsequently taken to Abuja after allegedly raising corruption-related concerns involving officials of the EFCC.
According to information provided by her supporters, she has not been accused of stealing, fraud, money laundering or any other economic or financial crime.
The circumstances surrounding her arrest and continued detention have therefore generated concern among supporters and human-rights advocates, who are demanding greater transparency in the handling of the matter.
One of the allegations being raised is that an EFCC official allegedly lured Shehu with a business proposal before her arrest in Kano and subsequent transfer to Abuja. The allegation has not been independently established.
Campaigners have also raised questions over what they described as a potential conflict of interest, arguing that where allegations are made against officials of an agency, an independent investigation would help ensure transparency, fairness and public confidence.
They are consequently calling on the EFCC to clarify the legal basis for Shehu’s continued detention and make public any charges or allegations against her.
“If there is evidence that Maryam Shehu committed an offence, she should be charged before a competent court. If there is no lawful basis for her continued detention, she should be released,” the campaigners said.
They further urged human-rights organisations to intervene by monitoring the case and ensuring that Shehu’s constitutional rights are protected.
The campaigners maintained that an investigation into alleged wrongdoing should not itself become a form of punishment, particularly where a suspect has not been brought before a court.
“Investigation is not punishment. Release Maryam Shehu or charge her to court,” the campaigners said, while using the hashtag #FreeMaryamShehu to draw public attention to the case.
Those working on Shehu’s case also said court papers were being prepared as part of efforts to seek judicial intervention over her continued detention.
The call for intervention by human-rights groups comes amid broader concerns about the rights of persons held by law-enforcement agencies and the need for such agencies to operate within the framework of due process.
The campaigners said an independent examination of the circumstances surrounding Shehu’s arrest and detention would help establish the facts and address concerns arising from the allegations.
They also called on relevant authorities to ensure that any investigation involving Shehu is conducted transparently and without intimidation or undue pressure.
However, the allegations concerning Shehu’s arrest, the alleged business proposal and the circumstances of her continued detention could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
The EFCC’s response to the allegations was also not included in the information available for this report.
The central demand from her supporters remains that the EFCC should either release Maryam Shehu or charge her before a competent court, while human-rights organisations are being urged to intervene and independently monitor the case.
Below is What Maryam Was allege to have shared on her Instagram Account Below Deleting It
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), officials assaulted Ahmed Uthman Muhammad, former House of Representatives aspirant for Yola-North/Yola-South/ Girei Federal Consistency under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa over alleged N460m fraud.
Mr Abubakar Aliyu, Director Youth Mobilisation Officer issued this in a statement in Yola that the officials assaulted Uthman to the extent they couldn’t give him treatment in their health facility.
“Uthman was assaulted to the extent that he could not be treated at their clinic, and was transferred to Maitama General Hospital at about 3:00 a.m on Friday June 19th where it was confirmed he was coughing out blood due to the assault”, he said.
According to him, the matter is an allegation against the victim and it only needs investigation professionally not the way he was assaulted.
He added that Uthman is known as the Man with proven integrity that impacts positively on the life of youth.
Aliyu further said that a witness heard one Sagir Abbas bragging that they can do anything they feel like doing because they had given the Zonal Director N20 million.