By Eshiorameh Sebastian, Abuja
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the arrest of former Jigawa lawmaker Hon. Muhammad Kazaure by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing it as another brazen act of lawlessness by the anti-graft agency.
Atiku in a statement on Saturday on his social media account, accused the EFCC of operating with impunity, arresting and detaining citizens without due process or justification.
He drew parallels between Kazaure’s arrest and the recent detention of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, whose release was only secured after widespread public outcry.
Kazaure, a former member of the House of Representatives and vocal critic of the President Bola Tinubu administration, was reportedly picked up in Kano and taken to Abuja, where Atiku alleged he was “being held incommunicado without any formal charges or explanations provided to his family or legal team.”
Atiku insisted that even if there were legitimate grounds for an arrest, the EFCC was obligated to follow due process, publicly disclose the reasons for detention, and ensure that suspects are either promptly charged to court or released. He warned that the agency’s continued disregard for constitutional provisions was deepening Nigeria’s culture of impunity.
“By once again trampling on the fundamental rights of a Nigerian citizen, the EFCC is entrenching itself deeper into the mire of impunity and constitutional delinquency,” Atiku stated. “Its deafening silence regarding the arrest of Hon. Kazaure, a man who represented the good people of Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa, and Yankwashi federal constituency, lays bare the agency’s contempt for transparency and justice.”
The former vice president suggested that Kazaure’s arrest may be politically motivated, citing his outspoken criticism of the Tinubu administration. He accused the government of hypocrisy, alleging that while it shields politically exposed persons with corruption allegations, it weaponises state institutions to harass opposition voices.
“We are left with no choice but to conclude that Kazaure’s ordeal is a direct consequence of his fearless and unrelenting criticism of this administration,” Atiku declared. “The Nigerian people are watching. And history will not forget.”
The exact reasons for his invitation and subsequent arrest remain undisclosed, fueling widespread speculation over the grounds for his detention.
As of press time, the EFCC had yet to issue an official statement regarding Kazaure’s arrest or the allegations levelled against him.
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