Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on the Federal Government to order the release of former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, from the custody of Department of State Services (DSS).

Falana, who noted that the remand order against Bawa had expired, said under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), cumulative lifespan of a remand order is 56 days. Therefore, having exceeded the detention period permitted by the Act and the Constitution of Nigeria, DSS should be directed to release Bawa from illegal custody without further delay.

He said Federal Government should ensure that the rights of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and Bawa are respected by the DSS and office of the Director of Public Prosecution at the Federal Ministry of Justice, even though the duo had a penchant for disobeying court orders, while they were in office.

“The plight of both suspects should be a lesson for all public officers in Nigeria who always behave as if there will be no tomorrow. However, the government, which rules by law, is under legal obligation not to breach the fundamental rights of citizens, except in a manner prescribed by the Constitution,” he said.

Stressing that he had earlier demanded immediate release of Emefiele and Bawa, Falana said: “I requested the Federal Government to charge the two detained suspects before a court of competent jurisdiction, if there was evidence they had committed criminal offences.

“It is public knowledge that Emefiele was recently charged with illegal possession of firearms before the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court. Even though he was granted bail, the DSS treated the order of the court with contempt.’’

“As the violent invasion of the court, coupled with disobedience of the order of the court by officials of the DSS could not be justified, the Federal Government decided to withdraw the charge of illegal possession of firearms. The case was, accordingly, struck out by the court, while Emefiele was charged with some economic crimes at the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court.”

He added: “In view of the fact that Bawa has not been charged with any criminal offence whatsoever, the DSS ought to have released him from custody. I am not unaware of the claim that Bawa is being detained on the basis of a remand order issued by a magistrate court in the Federal Capital Territory.

“It ought to be pointed out that the remand order has become spent, invalid and illegal as no magistrate has the power under Section 493 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 or Section 35 of the Constitution of Nigeria to authorise the detention of a criminal suspect for 67 days without trial.”

Source: https://guardian.ng/news/time-to-release-bawa-from-dss-custody-falana-tells-fg/

If the military had did this we will start complaining. I don't like him, in as much as I like him in detention just like he did to innocent YAHOO boys , our constitution is supreme and above anything.

Ok

Ok sir

When are they going to release nnamdi kanu.

They should tell us the time.

Release him please

Ok sir, I will release him soon sir

🤔

Emefiele should be released before bawa if that b d case!

we all know this is a classic case of witch hunting

Ebola is going after perceived enemies..
with Emefiele of the unpopular currency redesign policy taking the full brunt of his wrath..

we all saw the face off between Efcc and DSS ..
I knew Ebola would flex some old muscles..

Anybody who expects anything better from Tinubu should go for a head transplant at Ogun state..

Make them no go arrest you oo baba!

In this present government, one nobody they talk with full chest again oo!
Watch, pray before you talk.

Tinubu....1/8 years.
Nigeria are you ready?

Nigerians will celebrate the very same day APC the devilish party of criminals will be kicked out of our national life. That evil party at the central have caused more harm than good. To think the evil party have supporters is to tell you the length at which the Devil is directly involved in Nigeria politics using his party APC as front. They never get anything right even if they appoint someone very intelligent. Cursed party
😡😡😡😡😡

Who is on Camo?


Him fit advise MILITARY during dem ERA?
Or e never bag Law n chambers then?

omoadeleye:
Who Falana think he is to be dictating to FG?.

What I like most is the LESSON that , TIME CHANGES, emiefele and bala never looked forward to these days!

Who Falana think he is to be dictating to FG?

Wizardslayer:
When are they going to release nnamdi kanu.

They should tell us the time.

That one is a terrorist, na jail he go rot and nothing go happen.

Only a yoruba that quickly critical of their own when in power. For other tribes, their mouths would be heavy and blunt, but will be sharp to attack when their tribe not in power.

Omobada:
Ok sir, I will release him soon sir

Pls tell Falana.

omo

Life is really funny, I've even forgotten there was a name like Bawa.
These detentions are not really a way, if you want to take someone to court you do that at least they know how long they're staying behind bars.

Sometimes they detain these people because it's about power and they don't have a case against them.

I have no pity for Bawa.
When he was disobeying court orders, he never knew a day like this will come.
When he was insulting lawyers, he never knew lawyers will be the one to get him out of the cage.

Spending $300k on hajj. Money his father didn't make in more than 35 Years as a Police officer.

Let him remain there and wait for Malami to come save him.

I think the best thing to do is to allow him bail, take him to court and ensure he did not run away, either by confiscating his passport or restrict/monitor his movements. I'm not in tandem with this unnecessary detention giving the innocent man.
As for Emefiele, he really goofed by pitching tent with Obi, allowed ethnicity to becloud his moral thinking. He thought the policy would wreck APC, thereby helping his tribal man to be the president. I don't pity him at all. He made a wrong selfish calculation.

Nigerians are happy with his detention ooh.

Make you no go do the one wey go vex us

slimfit1:
If the military had did this we will start complaining.

yes oo, or Buhari but here Tinubu is doing it without fear or favour. It will backfire on him. Although I have no sympathy for both as both disobey orders of courts when they were u touchable as stated by Falana but we need to respect the right of people come what may

Same people frothing in the mouth about the evils of military rule are detaining citizens beyond constitutional stipulations, defying court orders with reckless abandon, but somehow feel they have the moral standing to invade another country and enforce directives on its people.

This APC government and their supporters are just a congregation of bamboozled nitwits!

Tilumbu

They claimed he is a Democrat
Is he still a Democrat like this?

They claimed he is a strategist
Is that still true?

They claimed he has capacity and magic wand to rule
Is anyone still not dissapointed in him?

No problem but Nnamdi Kanu must not be released.

Who wan wail make he wail