Abdulrasheed Bawa, the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has been held in custody by the Department of State Services (DSS) for 33 days.
He was arrested on June 14, shortly after his suspension by President Bola Tinubu. The reasons for his suspension, as stated by the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, were “weighty allegations of abuse of office.”
However, the specific offenses for which Bawa was arrested and the level of investigation conducted by the DSS have not been disclosed, and it is unclear whether charges will be filed against him in court.
Pelumi Olajengbesi, an Abuja-based human rights lawyer, has criticized the continued detention of Bawa without trial, deeming it illegal. He argues that the DSS’s actions violate Bawa’s fundamental rights and are unconstitutional.
Olajengbesi states that it is imperative for the DSS to release Bawa promptly and allow him to rejoin his family, or alternatively, if there are charges against him, to present those charges in court. Any other course of action, according to the lawyer, would be unlawful and untenable.
