EFCC denies starving detainees

The Economic and Finanacial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied starving suspects in its custody, contrary to speculations in some quarters.

The EFCC Head of Public Affairs, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said in Lagos that the commission never starved suspects but allowed their family members to bring food for them daily.

He spoke to our correspondent in Lagos.

Uwujaren reacted to a press statement by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), alleging that some security agencies starved detainees in their custody.

MURIC had claimed that the immediate past Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti fed more than 150 people including hungry suspects in EFCC custody when he was detained there over alleged fraud.

In the statement signed by its Director and Founder, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, MURIC said that starving of suspects violated provision of Nigeria’s Constitution.

However, Uwujaren told our reporter that he was not aware that Fayose fed suspects in detention.

“I am not aware that former Gov. Ayodele Fayose fed some people while he was in the EFCC cell in Ikoyi,” he told our reporter.

MURIC said in the statement that EFCC detainees sang national anthem after eating from Fayose.

It alleged that Fayose also secured lawyers for some of them and promised to assist those who could not meet their bail conditions.

MURIC described the alleged developments as “outrageous, preposterous and embarrassing”, saying that it was against the Constitution and religious laws to dehumanise detainees with hunger.

“It is highly immoral to arrest and detain a man you do not have the capacity to cater for his basic needs,” it said.