A non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Law and Civil Culture (CLCC), has commended both the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, as well as the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), for acting promptly to its Freedom of Information request letter served on them for the release of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa.
The group, however, said the detention of Abdulrasheed Bawa for a period of 134 days without a valid court order was unlawful and illegal, reiterating that it constitutes a violation of his rights as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It will be recalled that the DSS released Abdulrasheed Bawa on Thursday after 134 days in its custody.
Dr Peter Afunanya, the Director, Public Relations and Strategic Communications, of the DSS, said the former EFCC boss was released on Wednesday night but did not give details of the deal.
However, CLCC, in its statement, while commending the Attorney General of the Federation and the Director of the DSS for cleaning up the rot in society, said such cleansing should be done within the purview and ambit of the law.
In a press statement issued at the weekend, which was jointly signed by its Executive Secretary, Abdulganeey Imran, and the Deputy Legal Adviser, Adebisi Victoria Ipoade, the Centre said that if the former EFCC boss had committed an offence, the proper thing to do in the circumstances was to take him before a competent court of law.
“The Centre for Law and Civil Culture (CLCC) welcome the news of the release of the Immediate Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Rasheed Bawa on the night of Wednesday, the 25th day of October 2023 and commends both the Office of the Attorney General of Federation and the Minister of Justice as well as the Director of DSS for acting promptly on our freedom of information request letter served on them on the 18th day of October 2022 and 19th day of October 2023 respectively demanding for explanation within seven (7) days on whether there is a pending or subsisting order of a competent court of law in Nigeria upon which the DSS (State Security Services) continuous detention of the Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr Rasheed Bawa is predicated?
“If the answer to the above question is in the affirmative, we humbly request the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the ruling of the honourable court that so ordered.
“If the answer to the above inquiry is negative, whether the continuous detention of Mr. Rasheed Bawa does not constitute a violation of his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
“If your agency is willing and ready to prefer a charge against Mr Rasheed Bawa in a competent court of law to face prosecution and/or answer the criminal allegations in respect of which he has been detained, when will the arraignment take place?
“We appreciate the efforts of both the Attorney General of the Federation and the Director of the DSS in cleaning up the rot in our society and urge them to continue to do so, but within the purview and ambit of the law.
“The detention of Mr Rasheed Bawa for a period of 134 days without a valid court order is not only unlawful and illegal but constitutes a violation of his rights as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
We dare say that two wrongs do not make a right; we believe that if an offence has been committed by Rasheed Bawa, the proper thing to do in the circumstances is to take him before a competent court of law,” the body said in its statement.
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