Atiku knocks EFCC Over detention of ex-lawmaker

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for detaining Muhammad Gudaji Kazaure, a former member of the House of Representatives, without formally charging him in court.

Reports indicate that Kazaure, known for his outspoken criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, responded to an invitation by the EFCC in Kano. However, upon appearing at the commission’s office, he was taken into custody and transported to Abuja on Wednesday.

Kazaure previously served as the representative for Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa, and Yankwashi federal constituency from 2015 to 2023. Though a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he has not shied away from raising concerns on issues such as national security and allegations of corruption, including those involving former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele.

In December 2022, the Central Bank refuted Kazaure’s claims that N89.09 trillion in stamp duty revenues had been diverted and that Emefiele allegedly kept $171 billion in a private account tied to stamp duty proceeds.

READ ALSO:EFCC arrests ex-Lawmaker for receiving N70m from Emefiele

Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku described the EFCC’s handling of Kazaure’s case as part of a disturbing trend of authoritarianism and disregard for legal norms.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has once again plunged headlong into its well-worn pattern of lawlessness, arresting and detaining citizens with brazen disregard for due process and without offering any justification for its actions.

“We witnessed this same abuse in the unlawful arrest and detention of Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, whose release was only secured after massive public outrage and pressure.

“Now, the EFCC has targeted Hon. Muhammad Kazaure, a former member of the House of Representatives and an unapologetic critic of the gross misgovernance and failings of the Tinubu administration. Abducted in Kano and whisked away to Abuja, Kazaure is presently being held incommunicado, with no formal charge or explanation offered to his family, legal team, or the Nigerian people.

“Let it be stated without equivocation: even if there were legitimate grounds for arresting any citizen, such action must adhere strictly to the rule of law. The EFCC is duty-bound to publicly disclose the reasons for any arrest and must not detain individuals indefinitely under the guise of investigation. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is unequivocal on this matter—every detainee must be promptly charged to court or released.

“By once again trampling on the fundamental rights of a Nigerian citizen, the EFCC is entrenching itself deeper into the mire of impunity and constitutional delinquency. Its deafening silence regarding the arrest of Hon. Kazaure, a man who represented the good people of Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa, and Yankwashi federal constituency, lays bare the agency’s contempt for transparency and justice.

“We are left with no choice but to conclude that Kazaure’s ordeal is a direct consequence of his fearless and unrelenting criticism of this administration. This government’s hypocrisy is as staggering as it is shameless: while it strikes cosy deals with politically connected figures tainted by corruption, it unleashes the machinery of the state to harass and silence its critics.”

As of press time, the EFCC has not issued a public statement regarding the circumstances surrounding Kazaure’s arrest or continued detention.