By Ibrahim Danladi

Femi Falana, a prominent human rights lawyer, has called for the immediate release of Abdulrasheed Bawa, the detained chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who is currently held by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja.

Bawa has been in DSS custody for a duration of 67 days since his detention commenced on June 14, 2023. He is under investigation for alleged financial irregularities that occurred during his tenure. Falana has now asserted that the detention order for Bawa has lapsed and that the DSS lacks legal grounds to continue holding him.

In a statement issued from Lagos on Sunday, Falana stated, “Given that Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa has not been charged with any criminal offense, the State Security Service should have released him from custody. I am aware that Mr. Bawa is reportedly being detained based on a remand order from a Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory.”

Falana emphasized that the remand order has lost its validity, making it illegitimate and unlawful under both the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 (Section 493), and the Nigerian Constitution (Section 35). He highlighted the inability of a magistrate to authorize the extended detention of a criminal suspect for an extended period without trial.

The statement conveyed Falana’s strong belief that Bawa’s continued detention without charges is a violation of his fundamental rights, and he called for Bawa’s immediate release from DSS custody.