Release Bawa, Remand order has passed, Falana informs DSS

He asserts that a remand order given by a Magistrate Court in the Federal Capital Territory “has become spent, invalid, and illegal.”

Femi Falana, SAN, a human rights attorney, has requested that the Department of State Services (DSS) immediately free Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, the suspended chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), from his unlawful detention.

The Federal Capital Territory’s Magistrate Court’s remand order, in his words, “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.”

Even though Godwin Emefiele and Bawa, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s suspended governors, had a history of disobeying court orders while in office, Falana urged the Federal Government to make sure that their rights would be respected by the DSS and the Federal Ministry of Justice’s office of the Director of Public Prosecution in a signed statement made available to the media on Sunday.

He stated, “All public servants in Nigeria who consistently act as if there will be no tomorrow should learn from the fate of both suspects. However, the government, which is governed by law, is prohibited by law from violating citizens’ fundamental rights unless specifically authorised by Nigeria’s Constitution.

See the full statement below:

RELEASE ABDULRASHEED BAWA FROM CUSTODY AS HIS REMAND ORDER HAS EXPIRED.

Sometime last month, I had cause to demand the immediate release of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, from the custody of the State Security Service.

In the alternative, I requested that the Federal Government charge the two detained suspects before a court of competent jurisdiction if there was evidence that they had committed criminal offences.

It is public knowledge that Mr. 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 State Security Service treated the order of the court with contempt.

As the violent invasion of the court coupled with the disobedience of the order of the court by officials of the State Security Service 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 Mr. Emefiele was charged with some economic crimes at the Abuja Judicial Division of the Federal High Court.
However, in view of the fact that Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa has not been charged with any criminal offence whatsoever, the State Security Service ought to have released him from custody.
I am not unaware of the claim that Mr. 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.

Indeed, under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the cumulative lifespan of a remand order is 56 days. Therefore, having exceeded the detention period permitted by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the Constitution of Nigeria, the State Security Service should be directed to release Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa from illegal custody without any further delay.

The Federal Government should ensure that the rights of Messrs. Emefiele and Bawa are respected by the State Security Service and the office of the Director of Public Prosecution in the Federal Ministry of Justice, even though the duo had a penchant for disobeying the orders of the courts when 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 is no tomorrow. However, the government, which rules by law, is under a legal obligation not to breach the fundamental rights of citizens except in a manner prescribed by the Constitution of Nigeria.