The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has announced that it has reviewed its guidelines on arrest, bail, and processing of suspects.
A statement released by the Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday said 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.
According to him, in the new guideline, 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.”
The spokesman further noted specifically that 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,” it said.
Meanwhile, according to the Director, Legal and Prosecution Department of the EFCC, CE Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, bail conditions served on suspects must be reasonable and practicable to be fulfilled by suspects and their sureties.
He said: “Detention of suspects without a Remand Warrant for unreasonable length of time beyond the constitutionally allowed period must henceforth stop forthwith.”
Tahir warned the EFCC officers against unwarranted violation of rights of suspects while calling for professionalism in all operational activities.
“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,” he noted.
