Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the prosecution and continued detention of a final-year student of Bayero University Kano (BUK), Maryam Isah Shehu.
Sowore accused the anti-graft agency under its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, of becoming an institution that targets citizens over criticism.
Sowore made this known on Thursday after attending two separate court sittings in which two individuals, including Shehu, were arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik over allegations of “cyberbullying” the EFCC.
According to Sowore, both defendants had already spent close to 30 days in EFCC detention before they were brought before the court.
He said rather than allowing the defendants to return home while their cases proceed, the court remanded both of them in prison custody.
Sowore said Maryam was sent to Suleja Prison, while the other defendant was remanded in Kuje Prison, with both expected to remain in custody until August 31.
“What makes Maryam’s situation even more disturbing is that she is a final-year university student who is due to begin her final examinations this Saturday,” Sowore said.
“None of that appeared to matter.”
Sowore described the EFCC under Olukoyede as “inherently evil,” arguing that an anti-corruption agency should be focused on investigating and prosecuting corruption rather than detaining citizens over criticism or alleged cyberbullying.
“An anti-corruption agency should be fighting corruption, not turning itself into an institution for hunting down, detaining and prosecuting citizens over criticism or alleged ‘cyberbullying,’” he said.
“What kind of institution detains a university student for nearly a month, arraigns her for allegedly cyberbullying the agency, and then seeks to keep her behind bars while her final examinations are about to begin?”
Court documents obtained by SaharaReporters show that the EFCC has filed an amended charge against Maryam Isah Shehu at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The case is identified as Charge No. CR 514/2026, between the Federal Republic of Nigeria as complainant and Maryam Isah Shehu as defendant.
According to the amended charge, the EFCC alleged that Maryam, on or about June 21, 2026, in Abuja and within the jurisdiction of the court, intentionally sent a message through a social network service using her Instagram account, @maryam_shehu, which the commission claimed was intended to tarnish its reputation.
The EFCC specifically accused her of publishing an allegation that its officials assaulted one Ahmed Uthman under the instruction of a zonal director who allegedly collected N20 million from one Usman Iya Abbas.
The charge reads in part: “That you Maryam Isah Shehu on or about 21st June 2026, at Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally sent a message by means of a social network service via your Instagram account (@maryam_shehu) containing a message which was intended to tarnish the reputation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, when you published that EFCC officials Assault Ahmed Uthman under the instruction of a Zonal Director who allegedly collected N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira) from one Usman Iya Abbas and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(2) (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended) 2024 and punishable under Section 24 (2) (c) (ii) of the same Act.”
The amended charge was dated August 20, 2026.
The activist said the circumstances surrounding her detention illustrate an abuse of the powers of an agency established to fight financial crimes.
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