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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The family of Abuja-based businessman, Audu Friday, in collaboration with the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has leveled serious accusations against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging gross misconduct and abuse of power in its handling of the businessman’s case. They claim the anti-graft agency has “crossed both legal and ethical boundaries”.
At a press briefing held in Abuja on Thursday, family member of the businessman, Salifu Oguche, decried what they described as arbitrary detention, media defamation, and a “calculated effort to convict Audu Friday in the court of public opinion without credible evidence or due process”.
HURIWA echoed these concerns, condemning the EFCC for what it termed “a brazen abuse of prosecutorial powers”.
The National President of the right group, Emmanuel Onwubiko alleged that the businessman has been held in detention for over 100 days under unsubstantiated accusations of cyber fraud and money laundering.
“The EFCC has crossed the line of decency, legality, and professionalism in its desperate effort to vilify a citizen who voluntarily honoured their informal invitations and has fully cooperated with investigations,” HURIWA stated.
HURIWA also raised concerns over inconsistencies in the EFCC’s official narrative, noting that the commission claimed Friday was arrested during a “surprise raid” in December 2024, whereas available records indicate he only began engaging with the agency in January 2025.
Of particular concern was the EFCC’s public labeling of Friday as the leader of a “792-member scam syndicate”, a claim HURIWA described as defamatory and unsupported by any verifiable evidence or court conviction.
The group further condemned what it described as a pattern of rights violations, including the alleged physical assault of Friday by EFCC operatives within court premises and his re-arrest after meeting bail conditions, followed by arraignment on duplicate charges in another court.
“This is nothing short of state-sponsored harassment and malicious prosecution,” HURIWA asserted, warning that such actions by a statutory agency erode public trust in the justice system and undermine Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees.
The rights group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to initiate an independent investigation into the case and to hold EFCC operatives accountable for any proven misconduct. It also urged the judiciary to safeguard its independence and ensure Friday receives a fair trial, free from media influence or extrajudicial pressure.
“Every Nigerian is constitutionally presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law. The EFCC must abandon its trial-by-media approach and focus on presenting credible evidence in court,” HURIWA added.
HURIWA reaffirmed its commitment to defending civil liberties and vowed to monitor the proceedings closely to ensure justice is not only done, but seen to be done.