EFCC Arrests, Detains and Quizzes Blogger; Accuses Him of Cyber-Stalking

0
210
Abubakar Sidiq Usman
Abubakar Sidiq Usman

In the early hours of August 8, 2016, operatives of Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stormed the Kubwa-Abuja home of a blogger, Abubakar Sidiq Usman, searched his apartment and then whisked him away to their office where they detained and questioned him. Sidiq Usman who is also the publisher of Abusidiqu.com was accused of cyber stalking.

Confirming his arrest, the Commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission … arrested Mr. Abubakar Sidiq Usman, a blogger, for offences bordering on cyber stalking. The suspect, who is the publisher of Abusidiqu.com, was picked up at his Kubwa, Abuja home in the early hours of Monday August 8, by operatives of the EFCC and is currently being questioned over the alleged offence which contravenes sections of the Cyber Crime Act.”

It is however suspected that Sidiq Usman may have been arrested because of the story posted in his blog on August 2, 2016 titled ‘EFCC boss, Magu commences total war with core EFCC staff’ [http://abusidiqu.com/efcc-boss-magu-commences-total-war-core-efcc-staff/] in the post, he accused the Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu, of spearheading the suspension of some dedicated staff of the EFCC who exposed the criminalities allegedly committed by his predecessor, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde. The report also accused Magu of financially inducing senators to ensure his confirmation as substantive Chairman of the Commission by the upper chamber.

Mr. Uwujaren also said that Sidiq Usman “has already been offered administrative bail and would be released to his elected sureties.”