Atiku Tackles EFCC Over Detention Of Ex-Lawmaker Muhammed Kazaure

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has slammed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for detaining former lawmaker Muhammad Kazaure, calling the move a clear abuse of power.

In a post shared on his X page, Atiku criticized the EFCC for ignoring due process and acting without transparency. He said the agency has developed a troubling habit of detaining citizens without offering clear reasons.

He referenced the recent arrest of social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, noting that he was only released after widespread public backlash.

Atiku said the same pattern is playing out with Kazaure, a former member of the House of Representatives and outspoken critic of the current government.

According to him, Muhammad Kazaure was taken from Kano to Abuja and is being held without access to legal support or any formal explanation for his arrest.

He stressed that even if there are valid reasons to detain someone, the law requires clear procedures: either charge the person in court or release them.

Atiku accused the government of shielding politically connected individuals with corruption ties while using security agencies to go after its critics.

He said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has once again plunged headlong into its well-worn pattern of lawlessness, arresting and detaining citizens with brazen disregard for due process and without offering any justification for its actions.

“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.

“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is unequivocal on this matter—every detainee must be promptly charged to court or released. By once again trampling on the fundamental rights of a Nigerian citizen, the EFCC is entrenching itself deeper into the mire of impunity and constitutional delinquency.

“It’s deafening silence regarding the arrest of Hon. Kazaure, a man who represented the good people of Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa, and Yankwashi federal constituency, lays bare the agency’s contempt for transparency and justice.

“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.

“This government’s hypocrisy is as staggering as it is shameless: while it strikes cosy deals with politically connected figures tainted by corruption, it unleashes the machinery of the state to harass and silence its critics. The Nigerian people are watching. And history will not forget.”

KanyiDaily recalls that VeryDarkMan was recently released from the custody of the EFCC after spending five days in detention.