Atiku condemns detention of ex-lawmaker

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the arrest and continued detention of a former member of the House of Representatives, Muhammad Kazaure.

In a statement posted via his official X page on Saturday, Atiku described Kazaure’s continued detention as a brazen disregard for due process.

He also accused the EFCC of abusing its powers and operating outside the bounds of the Nigerian Constitution, likening Kazaure’s arrest to a pattern of lawlessness and political repression.

Atiku drew parallels between Kazaure’s arrest and the earlier case of social commentator, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, who was recently detained and released only after public backlash.

“We witnessed this same abuse in the unlawful arrest and detention of Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, whose release was only secured after massive public outrage and pressure.

“Now, the EFCC has targeted Hon. Muhammad Kazaure, a former member of the House of Representatives and an unapologetic critic of the gross misgovernance and failings of the Tinubu administration. Abducted in Kano and whisked away to Abuja, Kazaure is presently being held incommunicado, with no formal charge or explanation offered to his family, legal team, or the Nigerian people.

“Let it be stated without equivocation: even if there were legitimate grounds for arresting any citizen, such action must adhere strictly to the rule of law. The EFCC is duty-bound to publicly disclose the reasons for any arrest and must not detain individuals indefinitely under the guise of investigation,” he wrote.

Describing the EFCC’s silence as deafening, Atiku noted that Kazaure was being targeted for his outspoken criticism of the Tinubu government.

“We are left with no choice but to conclude that Kazaure’s ordeal is a direct consequence of his fearless and unrelenting criticism of this administration,” he added.