Popular Lawyer Goes Tough On EFCC Over VDM Arrest

Human Rights lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, has condemned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the arrest of activist Martins Ortse aka VeryDarkMan.

Idam said VDM as he is popularly called should be released or charged to court immediately if there is a case against him.

He said the activist should not be subjected to intimidation, harassment, or bullying by the EFCC.

VDM was arrested on Friday, by the EFCC over an undisclosed offense.

Before his arrest, the social critic had announced his visit to one of the GTBank branches in Abuja, to complain about an alleged deduction from his mother’s account.

Following his arrest, the activist was said to have been manhandled by operatives of the anti-graft agency.

Idam said EFCC lacked the moral justification to have arrested VDM in the manner it did.

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In a statement he signed, Idam said: “No Nigerian including VeryDarkMan deserves to be intimidated, harassed, bullied or molested simply for expressing an unfavourable opinion against those in authority.

“It matters less that the critic has committed a crime in the process, as long as no court has sanctioned his punishment, his rights to human dignity, liberty among other fundamental human rights must not be compromised under any guise.

“No denying the fact that I have my reservations about certain unconscionable acts and conduct reported against him by a client of our law firm, which I am privileged to know about. Howbeit, that does not justify an endorsement to the treatment reportedly meted to him by the EFCC.

“His torture, blindfold, arrest without a warrant and detention beyond the legal limit by the men and officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) is incompatible with the procedure laid down by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ( 2015) on the process and procedure for the administration of justice against any one in Nigeria.

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“The EFCC has no legal justification to act in the manner it was reported to have done in effecting the arrest of Verydarkman.

“Such treatment deployed against him by the EFCC is primitive, draconian, unlawful and illegal. Therefore, he ought to be released forthwith or be charged to court without further delay if there is a primaries case against him.”