Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the arrest of former House of Representatives member Muhammad Kazaure, describing it as a blatant abuse of power and a violation of due process.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Atiku alleged that Kazaure, an outspoken critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, was abducted in Kano and taken to Abuja without formal charges or communication with his family or legal team.
Atiku condemned the manner of the arrest, likening it to previous incidents of what he called EFCC’s “lawlessness,” referencing the earlier detention of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
“The EFCC has once again plunged into its well-worn pattern of lawlessness, arresting and detaining citizens with brazen disregard for due process,” Atiku said. “Kazaure is being held incommunicado, with no justification provided to his family, legal team, or the Nigerian people.”
He emphasized that even if there were legal grounds for the arrest, the EFCC must follow the rule of law, stating that the Nigerian Constitution requires detainees to be either charged to court or released promptly.
Atiku described the EFCC’s silence on the matter as a show of contempt for justice and transparency. He said the continued detention of Kazaure, who previously represented the Kazaure/Roni/Gwiwa/Yankwashi federal constituency, reveals the government’s intolerance for dissent.
“This government’s hypocrisy is staggering: while it courts politically connected figures tainted by corruption, it uses state power to harass and silence critics,” Atiku stated.
He warned that the Nigerian people are watching and that history would not overlook such actions.
