The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has come under fire over the detention and arraignment of a final-year student of Bayero University, Kano, Maryam Shehu, over an alleged social media publication against the anti-graft agency.
Shehu was arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday alongside another defendant for allegedly cyberbullying the EFCC.
Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, who said he attended the court proceedings, criticised the commission for detaining the defendants for nearly 30 days before bringing them before the court.
According to him, rather than being allowed to return home while their cases proceed, both defendants were remanded in prison custody until August 31.
Sowore said Shehu was taken to Suleja Prison, while the other defendant was remanded at Kuje Prison.
He described the EFCC under its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, as “inherently evil”, accusing the commission of turning its attention to citizens who criticise it.
Sowore added, “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 for allegedly ‘cyberbullying’ the agency.”
The amended charge filed against Shehu by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, through the EFCC, specifically linked the allegation to a publication made on her Instagram account.
The charge stated that 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.”
The prosecution alleged that the message involved claims that the EFCC officials assaulted one Ahmed Uthman.
The amended charge further stated that Shehu published that “the 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.”
The charge sheet claimed that by making the publication, Shehu committed an offence contrary to Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024) and punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the same Act.
The charge was dated August 20, 2026, and signed by Elizabeth Alabi of the EFCC’s Legal and Prosecution Department.
The development has attracted criticism especially because of Shehu’s status as a final-year university student who is expected to begin her final examinations on Saturday.
Sowore described the situation as particularly disturbing, questioning why a student should remain in custody when she is due to write her final examinations.
“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,” he said.
He further questioned the propriety of the EFCC’s action, saying, “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.’”
The case has also generated reactions on social media, with some Facebook users expressing concern over the development.
Commenting under Sowore’s post, activist Adeola Shoetan, said, “Bad for the EFCC to have acted in such a wrong way.”
Another user, Olaitan Shemfe, wrote, “Innoncent until proven guilty is the ideal thing but in naija you are guilty until proven innocent!”
Ajine Job also criticised the development, saying, “This is the kind of country we find ourselves, none of nigeria government agencies are working according to their duties and the controller who is the overall even forgot that he’s a President, this is very crazy.”
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