HURIWA demands probe into death of EFCC official, prosecution of ‘killer’ officers

 

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), on Tuesday, condemned the death of an inspector of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abel Dickson, who reportedly died after a scuffle with two colleagues.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, also demanded a comprehensive probe into the circumstances surrounding the death of the officer.

The rights group also threw its weight behind the hierarchy of the EFCC for handing over the suspected ‘killer officials’ to a prosecutorial agency just as HURIWA said the two indicted EFCC officers should be transparently prosecuted.

It expressed delight that the individuals involved have since been arraigned in a court in Sokoto for culpable homicide.

HURIWA however, said the charge is irregular but they should be charged appropriately for murder, adding that the soft charge of culpable homicide is a conspiratorial script to earn the accused killers soft punishment.

“Dickson had a scuffle with the two over items collected from a suspect. The items were medications and some monies deposited in the suspect’s locker. He subsequently passed away on May 7, 2023, at the Usmanu DanFodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto where he was rushed to for treatment after sustaining injuries.

“Recall that this is not the first time this incident would occur. For instance, a businessman, Desmond Nunugwo, controversially died in EFCC custody in April 2016 on allegations of defrauding a complainant of N91m. The deceased’s family had accused the anti-graft agency then headed by Ibrahim Magu, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, of killing Nunugwo, who was reportedly healthy before his arrest.

“Also, in November 2015, Arowofela Olufemi, a suspect died in EFCC custody in controversial circumstances,” the statement said.

HURIWA’s Onwubiko said “The death of EFCC inspector, Abel Isah Dickson after a senseless scuffle with his colleagues on the items of a suspect is most condemnable. The Chairman of the commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, must ensure a full investigation into this sad occurrence to avoid a recurrence as he has done but basically, the prosecutor must amend the charge to reflect the appropriate charge of murder so if found culpable of murder, the accused persons can face the maximum sentence of death or life jail terms.