Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for detaining former House of Representatives member Muhammad Kazaure, calling it a violation of due process.
In a fiery statement posted on his official X handle on Saturday, May 10, Atiku accused the EFCC of plunging into a “pattern of lawlessness,” drawing parallels with the recent detention of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, and alleging that Kazaure’s incommunicado arrest in Abuja after being “abducted” from Kano is a politically motivated move to silence dissent.
Atiku’s statement, dripping with indignation, painted a grim picture of the EFCC’s actions. “The agency has once again targeted a citizen with no justification, holding Hon. Muhammad Kazaure, a former lawmaker and unapologetic critic of Tinubu’s misgovernance, without formal charges or explanation to his family, legal team, or the Nigerian people,” he wrote.
Kazaure, who represented Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa, and Yankwashi federal constituency in Jigawa State from 2015 to 2019, was reportedly arrested on May 7, 2025, in Kano and whisked to Abuja, where he remains detained without access to lawyers or family, per sources cited by The Sun.
Atiku likened the case to the EFCC’s detention of VeryDarkMan, released on May 7 after public protests, suggesting Kazaure’s outspoken criticism—often targeting Tinubu’s economic policies and alleged corruption—triggered his arrest.
The former vice president’s critique framed the EFCC as an instrument of political vendetta, accusing it of trampling constitutional rights. “The Constitution is unequivocal: every detainee must be promptly charged to court or released,” Atiku declared, citing Section 35, which mandates a 48-hour limit on detention without charges.
He charged the EFCC with “entrenching impunity” by failing to disclose reasons for Kazaure’s arrest, a silence he called “deafening” and indicative of contempt for transparency. “We are left with no choice but to conclude that Kazaure’s ordeal is a direct consequence of his fearless criticism,” Atiku asserted, pointing to the government’s “hypocrisy” in striking “cosy deals” with politically connected figures while hounding critics.
Kazaure, a vocal member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and ally of Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso, has been a thorn in the APC’s side, notably alleging in 2023 that Tinubu’s policies exacerbated poverty in northern Nigeria, per Sahara Reporters.
His detention follows a pattern of EFCC actions against opposition figures, including the recent arrest of PDP’s Delta State chairman, Kingsley Esiso, on May 6, 2025, for alleged fraud, per TheCable.
Atiku’s reference to VeryDarkMan’s case, where public pressure secured release, underscores a growing perception of selective enforcement, with X users like @GazetteNGR noting the EFCC’s “targeting of Tinubu’s critics.” The agency’s silence on Kazaure, contrasted with its May 6 statement on VeryDarkMan’s financial crime allegations, fuels speculation of political motives, especially after Kazaure’s 2024 claim of a $1 billion fraud in Jigawa contracts went unaddressed by authorities, per Daily Post.
The EFCC’s track record under Chairman Ola Olukoyede, appointed in 2023, is under fire.
While the agency has secured 3,175 convictions since 2023, per its official site, critics argue it disproportionately targets opposition voices, sparing APC allies like former governors accused of looting, as Atiku hinted.
The detention without charges violates Nigeria’s Administration of Criminal Justice Act, risking legal challenges, per legal analyst Festus Ogun on X.
Kazaure’s case also reignites concerns about northern marginalization, with Jigawa’s NNPP chapter, led by Aminu Ibrahim, condemning the arrest as “an attack on our region’s voice,” per Leadership.
Public reaction on X is polarized. Supporters of Atiku, like @KemPatriot, hailed his “courageous stand” for justice, while @Striplehay_ accused the EFCC of becoming a “political weapon.” APC defenders, like @Imranmuhdz, dismissed Atiku’s claims as “desperate opposition tactics,” citing Kazaure’s unproven fraud allegations as justification.
Protests in Kazaure town, reported by Blueprint, saw youths demanding his release, chanting “Free Kazaure,” while women’s groups echoed Atiku’s call for transparency, per @ParallelFacts. The PDP’s National Working Committee, in a May 10 statement, vowed to mobilize legal and public support, per Punch.
What you should know
As Kazaure’s detention stretches into its fourth day, the EFCC faces pressure to clarify its actions or risk further eroding public trust.
Atiku’s intervention, leveraging his stature as PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, amplifies the case’s political weight, potentially galvanizing opposition against Tinubu’s administration.
With Nigeria’s economy strained and civic space shrinking—evidenced by 1,900 protest detentions in 2025, per The Guardian—the Kazaure saga could become a flashpoint.
For now, the nation awaits the EFCC’s response, as Atiku’s warning that “history will not forget” hangs heavy over a polarized political landscape.
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