A move by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency to arrest and later release a popular local blogger has raised the specter of clampdown on social media and free press in the West African country.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) early Monday put Abubakar Sidiq Usman in custody “for offences bordering on cyber stalking”, but later in the day the same Commission granted him bail.
In a statement, EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren acknowledged that Usman was picked from his home in Abuja and “questioned over the alleged offence which contravenes sections of the Cyber Crime Act. The suspect has already been offered administrative bail and would be released to his elected sureties.”
Usman’s blog had lately carried reports on the EFCC Boss, Ibrahim Magu, under the title “EFCC Boss, Magu Commences Total War With Core EFCC Staff.”
A statement from Inibehe Effiong, a legal practitioner and convener of the Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (COHRD) said the EFCC did not have powers to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute any person for any alleged offence except in respect of economic and financial crimes.
It went on: “Therefore, if it is a truism that the actions taken against the blogger is connected with a critical report he published against the Chairman of the Commission. The implication is that the EFCC has just dealt a fatal blow on the rule of law, democracy and human rights. The EFCC is not above the law and cannot operate like a state within a state.
“Nigerians are not ready to tolerate any brazen, irresponsible, reckless and arrogant attack on free speech. If Magu believes that a publication by the blogger against him is defamatory, the proper course of action is for him to seek redress in a court of law.
“The EFCC should not be used as a tool to achieve personal vendetta. Magu should not allow ego and arbitrariness to erode public confidence in his anti-corruption strides.”
Photo credit: Nairaland
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