Pelumi Olajengbesi, a human rights attorney based in Abuja, has requested that AbdulRasheed Bawa, the suspended head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), be released or charged with a crime.

 This demand was made by Olajengbesi in a statement on Tuesday.

The long-term detention of Bawa by the secret police, according to the human rights attorney, is unlawful and a disgrace to the country’s justice system.

Olajengbesi argued that the DSS should either release Bawa to reunify with his family or charge him with crimes allegedly committed against his position as head of the EFCC.

Recall that Bawa was removed from his position as the anti-graft czar on June 14 due to allegations of abuse of power and “to allow for a proper investigation into his conduct while in office.” 

Bawa was subsequently quizzed at the DSS headquarters the same day with nothing heard about the matter for three weeks now.

But Olajengbesi said, “When Bawa was suspended and detained, I joined other well-meaning Nigerians to hail the move by President Bola Tinubu because the EFCC under Bawa violated fundamental human rights through reckless midnight Gestapo raids on hotels and homes of innocent citizens.

“However, illegality should not beget another illegality. Without any contradiction, the continued detention of Bawa by the secret police for three straight weeks now is unconstitutional and a breach of the fundamental rights of the detainee.

“Illegality cannot beget another illegality. The DSS should immediately release Bawa to rejoin his family members or without further delays, or charge him to court to face charges preferred against him by the Federal Government. Anything outside these two options is alien to law and won’t stand.”