- Safiu Kehinde
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has called out the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the arraignment and coninued detention of a final-year student of Bayero University Kano (BUK), Maryam Isa Shehu.
EFCC reportedly arraigned Maryam and one other suspect over alleged cyberbullying of its officials.
Sowore, in a post shared on his X handle on Thursday, recounted sitting for the hearing of the cases of both defendants at rhe Federal High Court in Abuja earlier today.
Attached to the post was a charge sheet detailing the arraignment of Maryam.
As contained in the sheet, the final-year student was arraigned over an Instagram post where she accused some EFCC officials of assaulting a man and extorting another person of N20 million.
“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 lya 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 charge read.
Sowore disclosed that the BUK student and omthe other defendant have been detained by the EFCC for 30 days before their arraignment.
The 2027 African Action Congress (AAC) Presidential candidate, further disclosed that the defendants were subesquently remanded in separate prisons rather than been allowed to return home while their cases proceed.
“I sat through two separate court sittings today in which two individuals, including Maryam Isa Shehu, a female student of Bayero University Kano (BUK), were arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (@officialEFCC) for allegedly “cyberbullying” the agency.
“In each case, the defendants had already spent close to 30 days in detention before they were brought before the court.
“Yet, instead of being allowed to return home while their cases proceed, they were both remanded in prison custody, Maryam was sent to Suleja Prison, while the other defendant was sent to Kuje Prison, where they are expected to remain until August 31.” He said.
Meanwhile, Sowore noted that Maryam’s case is disturbing as the student is due to begin her final examinations this week.
The activist questioned the EFCC over the prolonged detention of Maryam and her remand despite being aware of her examination.
He maintained that the agency supposed to be fighting corruption and not turning itself into an institution for detaining and prosecuting citizens over criticism or alleged cyberbullying.
“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.
“None of that appeared to matter.
“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.”
“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?” He asked.