Pelumi Olajengbesi, a prominent human rights lawyer based in Abuja, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to either release the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa, or bring charges against him in court. Olajengbesi made this plea in a statement issued on Tuesday, expressing concern over the extended detention of Bawa by the secret police, which he deems illegal and a disgrace to the nation’s justice system.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Olajengbesi emphasized that the DSS should promptly take action by either presenting Bawa before a court of law to answer for the alleged offenses attributed to his tenure as the EFCC boss or allowing him to reunite with his family. The lawyer stressed that the continued detention of Bawa, lasting for three weeks now, is a clear violation of his fundamental rights and undermines the principles of justice.
The suspension of AbdulRasheed Bawa as the anti-graft czar by President Bola Tinubu on June 14 stemmed from allegations of abuse of office, which necessitated a thorough investigation into his conduct while in office. On the same day, Bawa was subjected to questioning at the headquarters of the Department of State Services, but since then, no significant developments regarding the matter have emerged.
Olajengbesi acknowledged that he initially applauded President Tinubu’s decision to suspend and detain Bawa, as the EFCC, under his leadership, was accused of violating the fundamental human rights of innocent citizens through unwarranted and intrusive raids on hotels and private residences during late-night operations.
However, the human rights lawyer emphasized that resorting to illegality in response to alleged misconduct would only perpetuate a cycle of unlawfulness. He asserted that the continued detention of Bawa by the secret police, without any valid legal justification, is a breach of his constitutional rights.
Olajengbesi firmly believes that the DSS should act in accordance with the law, either by releasing Bawa promptly so he can rejoin his family or by promptly filing charges against him based on the allegations made by the Federal Government. Any other course of action, in his view, would be contrary to legal principles and would not be upheld.
The case has attracted considerable attention within Nigeria, with citizens and legal experts closely following the developments surrounding the suspended EFCC chairman. As the nation awaits a response from the Department of State Services, the ultimate decision on whether to release AbdulRasheed Bawa or proceed with charges rests with the authorities responsible for ensuring justice is served.
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