It has been 63 days since the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Nigeria.

Development Diaries reports that Bawa, who was arrested on 14 June after his suspension by President Bola Tinubu, was kept in detention based on ‘some investigative activities concerning him’, according to the DSS.

It is understood that the DSS has yet to charge the suspended EFCC boss after weeks in detention.

The prolonged detention of Bawa by the DSS without charges is definitely illegal and a gross violation of his human rights.

Section 35 of Nigeria’s 1999 constitution stipulates that anybody who is arrested by any of the security agencies, be it police or DSS, should be charged to court where there is a court within a radius of 40 kilometres, if not, the person should be charged within 48 hours.

The DSS has failed to bring forward formal charges or tender any explanations regarding Bawa’s detention so far.

It must be pointed out that the country’s fundamental values of justice and fair process are being undermined by this development.

The DSS’s move not only casts doubt on the motivation behind these operations but also questions the credibility of the government’s anti-corruption campaign.

If there is enough evidence after an investigation to prove that Bawa is guilty, why not bring up the charges and prosecute him?

Why deny him of his constitutional rights by keeping him for a prolonged time?

Also, why is the president silent on this? His silence is only an indication that his administration would keep disregarding the rule of law.

Development Diaries, therefore, calls on the DSS to carry out a transparent investigation and prosecution of Bawa if he is found guilty instead of keeping him in custody.

We also call on President Tinubu to order the DSS to respect the rule of law if indeed Bawa’s detention is not a case of personal vendetta.

Photo source: EFCC