HURIWA calls for unconditional release of EFCC staff allegedly detained

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operative, Mohammed Idris, who was allegedly arrested and locked up shortly after a leaked conversation with his younger brother over a crime suspect went viral.

In a statement in Abuja, yesterday, National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and National Director of Media, Miss Zainab Yusuf, said rather than detain him, the Federal Government should have discreetly investigated his mind-blowing revelation about the morally deficient state of the EFCC and find ways to fix the broken system and give back independence to EFCC to operate without external interference, as alleged in the leaked telephone conversation.

“President Buhari must free this whistleblower or we draw the inevitable conclusion that Buhari’s waning war on corruption has eventually collapsed in a very big way, and this will rub off on whatever legacy the outgoing President thinks he wants to bequeath to Nigeria,” HURIWA said.

When contacted, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, told The Guardian he had no details about the arrest. He promised to find out and get back to the reporter.