Femi Falana, a prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has called for the immediate release of Abdulrasheed Bawa, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who has been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) for over two months without any formal charges or trial.
Falana made the request in a statement on Friday, August 20, 2023, titled: “Release Abdulrasheed Bawa from custody as remand order has expired”. He argued that Bawa’s detention was illegal and unconstitutional, as the DSS had failed to comply with the remand order issued by a Federal High Court in Abuja on June 14, 2023, which granted the DSS permission to detain Bawa for 14 days pending investigation.
According to Falana, the remand order expired on June 28, 2023, and the DSS did not seek an extension or file any charges against Bawa before the court. He also stated that Bawa had not been granted access to his lawyers, family members or medical doctors, in violation of his fundamental rights.
Falana urged the DSS to release Bawa from custody immediately or charge him to court if there was any evidence of criminal wrongdoing against him. He also warned that he would take legal action to enforce Bawa’s rights if the DSS failed to comply with his request.
Bawa was appointed as the EFCC chairman by President Muhammadu Buhari in February 2023, but was suspended in April 2023 after he was accused of corruption and abuse of office by some members of the National Assembly. He was arrested by the DSS on May 18, 2023, and has been in detention since then.
Bawa’s case has generated public outcry and condemnation from civil society groups, human rights activists and lawyers, who have accused the DSS of violating the rule of law and undermining the anti-corruption fight in Nigeria.
