EFCC withdraws cybercrime charges against BUK student, one other

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn cybercrime charges against two Nigerians, Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad, following appeals for leniency.

EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, directed the withdrawal of the charges after considering a plea from Shehu’s father and appeals from other Nigerians.

The two defendants were separately arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday over allegations bordering on cybercrime and the publication of malicious information about the commission.

Shehu, a final-year student of Bayero University, Kano, was accused of using her Instagram account to make allegations against EFCC officials.

Among the claims attributed to her were allegations that commission officials assaulted a man and that a zonal director collected N20 million from another individual.

Abdulhamad, who operates the X account @shuraimi, was accused of posting a fabricated image designed to resemble an official EFCC arrest placard and identifying an individual as an EFCC suspect.

The commission said the charges were filed under Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024.

According to the EFCC, Olukoyede acknowledged the commission’s position regarding the alleged offences but decided to withdraw the charges after considering the pleas and apologies presented on behalf of the defendants.

The commission, however, warned that the withdrawal should not be interpreted as a tolerance of deliberate attacks against its reputation.

Olukoyede said the EFCC would continue to operate within its statutory mandate and in the overall interest of the country.

The commission urged members of the public to exercise caution when making allegations against its officials or publishing information concerning its operations.