Father’s plea: EFCC withdraws charges against two Nigerians

By Luminous Jannamike

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, has ordered the withdrawal of charges against two young Nigerians arraigned for alleged cybercrime and peddling malicious information against the commission, after the father of one of them pleaded for mercy.

For the two defendants, what began with an appearance before a Federal High Court in Abuja ended with a reprieve after their case drew a personal appeal from Shehu’s father and calls from well-meaning Nigerians for the EFCC to show leniency.

In a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the commission said Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad were arraigned on Thursday, August 20, 2026, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Oyewale said the defendants were charged with cyberstalking and peddling malicious information against the commission, offences the EFCC said fell under Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024.