The Coalition of Human Rights Defender (CHRD) has faulted claims by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that it has released Abu Sidiqu, the blogger arrested by the anti-graft agency on Monday, insisting that he is still in custody.
The group said Mr. Abu Sidiqu is still being held and that the Commission has put forward a stringent bail condition before his release.
A statement by the Co-convener of CHRD, Fejiro Oliver said, “contrary to press release issued by the spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Wilson Uwujaren that Mr Abubakar Sidiq Usman who was harassed and picked up in his home on Monday morning by armed men from the agency has been released; we can report authoritatively that it is not true.
“Our sources in the anti graft agencies revealed that the EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu has vowed to deal with Usman for persistently reporting on his corrupt activities,” the statement said.
“To achieve his aim, he demanded that two sureties who must be Directors in the civil service must stand as guarantor before they will let him go. According to impeccable sources, the Personal Assistant on New Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Bashir Ahmed and other concerned friends had gone to the EFCC office, Abuja where Usman is being held to ask for his release but their request was turned down diplomatically.
“Ironically, Usman who publishes abusidiqu.com is a prominent member of the Buhari Media Organisation that promotes the government policies while defending it against citizens’ backlash,” it stated.
