The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has ordered the withdrawal of charges filed against two young Nigerians, Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad, who were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cybercrime and the peddling of malicious information against the anti-graft agency.
The two defendants were arraigned on Thursday, August 20, 2026, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
They were accused of cyberstalking the Commission, an offence the EFCC said was contrary to Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the amended law.
However, following appeals for leniency, Olukoyede directed the Commission to discontinue the case against the two defendants.
According to a statement issued by the EFCC, the decision followed “the passionate pleas and apologies” made by Shehu’s father, as well as appeals from well-meaning Nigerians asking the Commission to show leniency.
The EFCC said that although it considered the allegations against the defendants to constitute an offence under the Cybercrimes Act, the Commission’s chairman exercised compassion in directing that the charges be withdrawn.
“The Executive Chairman, nonetheless, considered the passionate pleas and apologies of Shehu’s father and appeals of well-meaning Nigerians for leniency,” the Commission said.
Olukoyede subsequently directed that the charges filed against Shehu and Abdulhamad be dropped.
The EFCC, however, used the development to issue a warning against what it described as wilful attacks on the image of the Commission.
The anti-graft agency said Olukoyede warned that the EFCC “would no longer tolerate any wilful attack on its image in any form, medium or platform.”
The Commission maintained that its decision to withdraw the charges should not be interpreted as a retreat from its responsibility to protect its institutional reputation or enforce relevant laws.
The EFCC chairman also assured Nigerians that the Commission would continue to operate within the limits of its statutory mandate and in the overall interest of the country.
“The EFCC’s boss assured Nigerians that the Commission would continue to function in line with its assigned mandate and in the best interests of the nation,” the statement added.
The decision comes shortly after the arraignment of the two defendants, bringing a swift turn in a case that had attracted attention because of the age and circumstances surrounding the accused persons.
With Olukoyede’s directive, the EFCC is expected to discontinue the charges against Shehu and Abdulhamad, while maintaining that attacks capable of damaging the Commission’s image will continue to attract its attention.
The development also highlights the discretion exercised by the EFCC leadership in balancing enforcement of cybercrime laws with appeals for compassion in individual cases.
