By Luminous Jannamike
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, has ordered the withdrawal of charges against two young Nigerians arraigned for alleged cybercrime and peddling malicious information against the commission, after the father of one of them pleaded for mercy.
For the two defendants, what began with an appearance before a Federal High Court in Abuja ended with a reprieve after their case drew a personal appeal from Shehu’s father and calls from well-meaning Nigerians for the EFCC to show leniency.
In a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the commission said Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad were arraigned on Thursday, August 20, 2026, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Oyewale said the defendants were charged with cyberstalking and peddling malicious information against the commission, offences the EFCC said fell under Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.
The commission said the alleged offences were punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the amended law.
But Olukoyede, after considering the circumstances of the case, including the pleas and apologies from Shehu’s father and appeals from Nigerians, directed that the charges be withdrawn.
“The Executive Chairman, nonetheless, considered the passionate pleas and apologies of Shehu’s father and appeals of well-meaning Nigerians for leniency,” the statement said.
The decision, however, came with a warning from the EFCC boss that the commission would not accept deliberate attempts to damage its reputation.
“He has directed that charges filed against the two young Nigerians be dropped and warned that the EFCC would no longer tolerate any wilful attack on its image in any form, medium or platform.
“The EFCC’s boss assured Nigerians that the Commission would continue to function in line with its assigned mandate and in the best interests of the nation,” Oyewale said.
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