EFCC withdraws cybercrime charges against BUK student

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn cybercrime charges against Maryam Shehu, a final-year student at Bayero University, Kano, and another Nigerian, Abubakar Abdulhamad. The two were accused of cyberstalking and publishing information intended to tarnish the commission's reputation.

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The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede has compassionately ordered the withdrawal of charges preferred against Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad, who were, on Thurday August 21, 2026 arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja , for alleged cybercrime and peddling malicious information against the Commission.

Maryam Shehu was charged for a social media post on June 21, alleging that EFCC officials assaulted a man on the instruction of a zonal director who had allegedly received N20 million from a complainant. The EFCC stated that this publication violated Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes Act. Abubakar Abdulhamad faced similar charges under the same provision for a separate allegation.

Both defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja. However, the EFCC announced on Friday that its Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, directed the withdrawal of the cases following appeals for leniency and apologies. Shehu's father had appealed on her behalf, alongside pleas from other Nigerians.

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While the Commission considered the arraignment of the two defendants for cyber stalking to be contrary to Section 24(2) (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended) 2024 and punishable under Section 24 (2) (c) (ii) of the same Act, the Executive Chairman, nonetheless, considered the passionate pleas and apologies of Shehu’s father and appeals of well-meaning Nigerians for leniency.

While the commission maintained that the alleged cyberstalking was contrary to the Cybercrimes Act, Chairman Olukoyede was reportedly moved by the appeals. The EFCC issued a statement emphasizing that while the charges were dropped, the commission would no longer tolerate any attacks on its image. The statement assured Nigerians that the EFCC would continue to operate within its mandate and in the nation's best interests.

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To this end, he has directed that charges filed against the two young Nigerians be dropped and warned that the EFCC would no longer tolerate any wilful attack on its image in any form, medium or platform.