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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged the government of President Bola Tinubu and the Department of State Services, DSS, to “immediately withdraw all bogus charges against journalist and activist Omoyele Sowore, and end the continuing harassment and intimidation of him over his peaceful exercise of his human rights”.

SERAP said that “the reported decision by the DSS to seek an adjournment of the case until after the 2027 presidential election does not resolve the fundamental problem: the charges should never have been brought in the first place and must now be withdrawn.”

In a statement today by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The DSS cannot selectively pause a politically sensitive prosecution for electoral convenience while leaving the bogus charges hanging over Sowore. The appropriate response is to withdraw the charges altogether.”

“It is deeply troubling that the DSS reportedly considered suspending the case only after the commencement of the 2027 election campaign.

“The right to participate in public affairs and to criticise government officials cannot depend on the electoral calendar or the discretion of security agencies.”

According to SERAP, “The prosecution of Sowore over his social media comments concerning President Bola Tinubu amounts to an unacceptable use of criminal law and judicial processes to punish, intimidate or silence a prominent critic and political opponent.

“Public officials, including the President, are subject to scrutiny and criticism in a democratic society. The mere fact that an expression is offensive, harsh, insulting or politically inconvenient does not, by itself, justify criminal prosecution.

“The Tinubu government should not weaponise the Cybercrimes Act, criminal defamation provisions or other laws to suppress peaceful criticism, particularly as Nigeria approaches a general election.

“Suspending the Sowore case until after the election is not enough. The bogus charges should be immediately withdrawn.”

SERAP urged President Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and the DSS to withdraw all charges against Omoyele Sowore; direct the DSS and other security and law enforcement agencies to stop using criminal and judicial processes to harass, intimidate or silence journalists, activists, political opponents and other Nigerians peacefully exercising their rights.

Other demands are: ensure that Sowore is able to participate fully and freely in political and public life without harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrest or reprisals; ensure that the Cybercrimes Act and other laws are not used to criminalise peaceful criticism, political speech or legitimate journalistic and human rights activities; review all criminal prosecutions and pending cases against journalists, activists and political opponents arising principally from their peaceful exercise of freedom of expression, with a view to withdrawing charges that are inconsistent with Nigeria’s constitutional and international human rights obligations, and ensure full respect for freedom of expression, freedom of association, political participation, media freedom, the rule of law and judicial independence as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.

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The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, says more than 40 staff members have been dismissed for corruption and financial malpractice in the last three years.

Olukoyede disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a media interactive session to mark his three-year stewardship at the commission’s headquarters.

The chairman also said that about five of the commission’s staff are currently being prosecuted for corrupt practices.

“In the past two and a half to three years of my service, I have asked them to dismiss over 40 staff on account of corruption and financial malpractice. More than five of them are being prosecuted at the moment,” he said.

The EFCC chairman said some of the affected staff members are already being prosecuted, while case files involving others are being prepared for prosecution.

“You can follow those cases in court; they are public knowledge.

“If that is what people do in other agencies and I arrest them, I investigate them, I prosecute them, why must I just dismiss you if you do it within our own system and I’m not prosecuting you?” he asked.

Olukoyede said the disciplinary measures were part of efforts to ensure EFCC personnel were held to the same standards of accountability the agency demanded from other Nigerians.

“You must be sure that your hands are clean. You can’t be fighting corruption when your hands are soiled with corrupt practices,” he said.

The EFCC chairman also announced the renaming of the commission’s former Internal Affairs Department to the Department of Ethics and Integrity as part of its drive for “internal cleansing.”

He said the commission had also introduced a gift policy to strengthen transparency and prevent conflicts of interest.

According to him, under the policy, staff will be required to declare gifts above a specified value, including those received from friends and relatives at home and abroad.

“The commission will also define the categories of gifts personnel can accept and require officers to account for their sources of income and standard of living,” he added.

The chairman called for stronger institutional reforms and policy changes to fight corruption, saying law enforcement alone could not win the war.

“The most effective system that fights financial crime is not law enforcement. It is the policy regime, institutional reforms that close leakages,” he said.

He urged the media and civil society to return to their watchdog roles.

(NAN)

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has defended its decision to include former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, in the campaign structure for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

The ruling party maintained that Edu remains entitled to participate in political activities because she has not been convicted of any offence arising from the allegations that led to her removal from the Federal Executive Council.

The APC’s position was made public on Monday by one of the spokespersons of the party’s campaign committee, Kemi Asekun-Shittu, during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief.

Edu’s inclusion in the campaign structure has generated controversy, particularly because President Tinubu suspended her from office in January 2024 following allegations relating to financial impropriety. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) subsequently investigated the matter.

Defending the decision to give the former minister a role in the campaign organisation, Asekun-Shittu argued that an allegation or ongoing investigation should not be treated as proof of guilt.

She said it would be unfair to prevent Edu from participating in political activities indefinitely while awaiting the conclusion of an investigation.

According to the APC spokesperson, Edu should be allowed to continue her political career unless and until a competent authority establishes her guilt.

“I’d like to say that for Betta Edu, for example, she has not been found guilty. And it would be unfair to ask her to leave her life or refuse to live until the EFCC declares her,” she said.

Asekun-Shittu added that there remained a possibility that Edu could ultimately be cleared of the allegations against her.

“We believe that there is a very likely issue that she may not be found guilty,” she stated.

She further argued that Nigerian citizens who choose to participate in politics should not be prevented from doing so solely because they are facing unresolved allegations.

“Besides that, we also know that with politics, every Nigerian is allowed to be a politician if they choose to be. And we do not believe that we should then hold her life still or keep her stagnant until the case is decided,” she added.

The APC spokesperson also noted that the matter had remained unresolved for a considerable period.

“It’s been almost two years of that case. She does deserve an opportunity to present herself again for the party,” she said.

Edu’s reported appointment has attracted scrutiny because of the circumstances surrounding her departure from the Federal Executive Council.

She was named Director of Women Mobilisation in the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election.

Her appointment has raised questions among critics who believe that someone previously removed from a ministerial position over allegations involving public funds should not occupy a prominent role in a presidential campaign organisation.

However, Asekun-Shittu maintained that there was a distinction between holding a public office and participating in the internal political activities of a political party.

She argued that the APC was entitled to decide who it considered suitable and capable of contributing to its campaign efforts.

“I do understand. There is no report. I also need you to see it from this angle. The fact that it’s an internal party affair,” she said.

“If we decide that she’s going to be useful and be able to work on behalf of the party, she does have a right. It’s not a public thing.”

Asekun-Shittu acknowledged that Edu had faced allegations concerning the alleged misappropriation of public funds but stressed that the matter remained under investigation.

“She was alleged to have misappropriated public funds. That matter is still with the EFCC. It is being handled. She has not been proclaimed guilty and deserves an opportunity to continue to live her life,” she said.

Edu is not the only prominent figure whose reported inclusion in the campaign structure has generated public interest.

The names of several serving government officials have also reportedly appeared on the list, including the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji; Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Taminu Yakubu; and Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Bisoye Coker-Odusote.

The inclusion of serving public officials has also raised questions about the composition and final status of the campaign structure.

However, Asekun-Shittu clarified that the list was still being reviewed and had not yet been finalised.

According to the APC spokesperson, the party was still consulting and deliberating on some of the names contained in the proposed campaign structure.

“With regards to the other names you have mentioned, the list is not yet final. There is a lot of deliberation still going on,” she said.

She added that changes would be made if any individual was subsequently found to be legally ineligible to participate in the campaign structure.

“If it is found out that they are not allowed to play in that turf, I believe that the needful will be done,” Asekun-Shittu stated.

The spokesperson also assured that the APC would comply with relevant laws and regulations governing political activities.

She said anyone eventually found to be unsuitable or legally barred from participating would be removed where necessary.

As preparations for the 2027 presidential election gather momentum, the composition of political campaign teams is expected to remain a subject of intense public scrutiny.

For now, the APC’s defence of Edu is based on the position that the allegations against her remain unresolved and that an investigation does not, by itself, constitute a conviction.