EFCC Reviews Arrest, Bail Terms To Protect Suspects’ Rights

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reviewed its guidelines on arrest, bail and prosecution of suspects.

The review, which is premised on the need to adhere to the rule of law and international best practices in the treatment of suspects, was rolled out on Monday, October 31, 2023 across all its commands.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said in a statement that, “In the new guidelines, premium attention is focused on the rights of suspects, especially where arrest, detention and bail  issues are concerned.  Operational activities are to be tailored towards relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2011 and the EFCC’s Standard Operating Procedures, SOP.

“Specifically, operatives of the commission are not allowed to demand for professional certificates of sureties as a bail condition.  Also, every demand for the international passport of suspects would henceforth be exercised with discretion, depending on the nature of the case, personality and country of residence of the suspect.”

Oyewale further said the director of Legal and Prosecution Department of the EFCC, commander of the EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), cautioned that,  “bail conditions served on suspects must be reasonable and practicable to be fulfilled by suspects and their sureties.  Detention of suspects without a remand warrant for unreasonable length of time beyond the constitutionally allowed period must henceforth stop forthwith.”.

Tahir also warned officers of the Commission against unwarranted violation of rights of suspects.

He called for professionalism in all operational activities, stressing that “it is time to have a paradigm shift and change the narrative.”

“Henceforth, professionalism shall be the watchword.  Let’s follow the best international standards worth our identity as a flagship law enforcement agency,” Tahir stated.