The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a directive to its operatives to discontinue sting operations at night.
The announcement was made by Ola Olukoyede, the chairman of the commission, in Abuja.
This decision comes in response to an EFCC raid on off-campus hostels at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile Ife, where 69 individuals were arrested for fraud-related offenses.
The raid sparked mixed reactions on social media, with students from the institution demanding the release of their arrested peers.
EFCC has also revealed plans to review its arrest and bail procedure to ensure compliance with the rule of law and international best practices in the treatment of suspects.
The agency has prohibited the detention of suspects beyond the constitutionally allowed period without a remand warrant.
It emphasized the importance of safeguarding the rights of suspects, particularly in matters of arrest, detention, and bail.
The commission also ordered its officers against demanding “professional certificates of sureties as a bail condition”.
The statement reads:
“Every demand for international passports of suspects would henceforth be exercised with discretion, depending on the nature of the case, personality and country of residence of the suspect”.
“Director, Legal and Prosecution Department of the EFCC, Commander of the EFCC, CE Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, cautioned that, ‘bail conditions served on suspects must be reasonable and practicable to be fulfilled by suspects and their sureties.
“Detention of suspects without a Remand Warrant for unreasonable length of time beyond the constitutionally allowed period must henceforth stop forthwith.
“Officers of the Commission are also warned against unwarranted violation of rights of suspects. He called for professionalism in all operational activities, stressing that “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.”
According to the statement, many of the suspects arrested in the raid on the OAU off-campus hostels who have been “duly profiled” have been released by the commission.