END EFCC BRUTALITY, EXTORTION, AND ILLEGAL DETENTION.

TO:

- The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

- The Attorney General of the Federation

- The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

- The National Human Rights Commission

- The Nigerian Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption

- The House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes

- International Human Rights Organizations

THE CRISIS

Young people in Calabar, Cross River State, are living in terror—not of criminals, but of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the very agency meant to protect Nigerians from financial crimes.

EFCC operatives in Calabar have abandoned law enforcement and become armed extortionists, thieves, and kidnappers operating under the cover of government authority.

WHAT IS HAPPENING

EFCC operatives are:

✗ Breaking into homes without warrants at 2-6 AM, terrorizing families

✗ Arresting young people whose names they don't even know based solely on appearance

✗ Carrying POS machines on raids to collect ransom payments immediately

✗ Demanding ₦200,000 to ₦5,000,000 per victim as "settlement" or "bail"

✗ Detaining victims for weeks or months without ever taking them to court

✗ Stealing phones, laptops, jewelry, perfumes, and cash during raids

✗ Returning phones to detainees in cells so they can call people to raise ransom money

✗ Beating and torturing detainees who cannot pay immediately

✗ Releasing victims after payment without charges, without prosecution, without justice

Samuel, 23, has been in EFCC detention for 39 days without seeing a judge—simply because his widowed mother cannot raise ₦1.8 million.

David, 25, lost his tech business, his equipment, and his future when EFCC stole his laptop and extorted ₦1.5 million from his family.

Blessing, 23, dropped out of university with PTSD after being arrested at a birthday dinner and held overnight while her retired parents borrowed ₦650,000 for her release.

These are not isolated cases. This is systematic, institutional criminality affecting hundreds of young people and destroying families across Calabar.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS

EFCC's actions violate:

- Section 35: Right to personal liberty (arbitrary arrests, indefinite detention)

- Section 36: Right to fair hearing (no court appearances, no due process)

- Section 34: Right to dignity (beatings, torture, degrading treatment)

- Section 37: Right to privacy (unlawful home invasions)

- Section 43: Right to property (theft of phones, laptops, cash, jewelry)

The Nigerian Constitution guarantees these rights. EFCC is trampling on every single one.

THE CRIMINAL ACTS

Under Nigerian law, EFCC operatives are committing:

- Extortion (Criminal Code Section 408)

- Robbery (Criminal Code Section 402 - theft with violence/threat)

- Theft (Criminal Code Section 383)

- Housebreaking (Criminal Code Section 410)

- Abuse of Office (Criminal Code Section 98)

- Kidnapping for Ransom (holding people until payment)

If private citizens did what EFCC does, they would be prosecuted and imprisoned. Why are EFCC operatives above the law?

OUR DEMANDS

We, the undersigned, demand immediate action:

1. IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL DETAINEES: Release everyone held by EFCC Calabar without formal charges or court orders—starting with those detained beyond 48 hours.

2. INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION

Establish an independent panel to investigate EFCC operations in Calabar, including:

- Illegal arrests and detention practices

- Extortion and "settlement" payments

- Theft of personal property

- Use of violence and torture

- Financial records of all "bail" payments collected

3. PROSECUTION OF CRIMINAL OPERATIVES

Identify, suspend, and criminally prosecute EFCC operatives involved in:

- Extortion

- Theft

- Assault

- Unlawful detention

- Home invasions without warrants

4. COMPENSATION FOR VICTIMS

Establish a victims' compensation fund for:

- Return of stolen property or financial restitution

- Compensation for illegal detention

- Medical and psychological treatment costs

- Lost income and destroyed businesses

5. INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS

Implement immediate reforms including:

- Mandatory warrants for all arrests and searches

- 48-hour maximum detention before court appearance

- Body cameras on all EFCC operations

- Independent oversight of EFCC activities

- Public accountability for all arrests (statistics on arrests vs. prosecutions)

- Citizen complaint mechanism with real consequences

- Financial auditing of all "bail" and "settlement" payments

6. PUBLIC APOLOGY

EFCC leadership must publicly apologize to victims and families whose lives have been destroyed.

7. NATIONAL DIRECTIVE

The President must issue a directive prohibiting:

- Arrests without reasonable suspicion and warrants

- Detention without court appearance within 48 hours

- Collection of money as "administrative bail" or "settlement"

- Seizure of property without court orders

- Violence against detainees

*WHY THIS MATTERS TO ALL NIGERIANS*

This is not just a Calabar problem. This is a Nigerian problem.

If EFCC can:

- Arrest without evidence

- Extort millions from families

- Operate above the law

- Destroy young people's futures with impunity

Then no Nigerian is safe. Not in Calabar. Not in Lagos. Not in Abuja. Not anywhere.

Today it's Calabar youths. Tomorrow it could be your son, your daughter, your brother, your sister.

*THE IRONY THAT MUST END*

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was created to fight corruption and financial crimes.

Instead, EFCC has become:

- The extortionists (demanding millions from innocent families)

- The robbers (stealing phones, laptops, jewelry, cash)

- The corrupt (collecting money through abuse of office)

- The criminals (the very thing they were created to fight)

When anti-corruption agencies become corrupt, who will fight corruption?

A MESSAGE TO EFCC LEADERSHIP

Not all EFCC operatives are corrupt. Many joined to genuinely fight financial crimes and serve Nigeria.

But the criminal operatives in Calabar (and other locations) are:

- Destroying EFCC's reputation

- Undermining Nigeria's anti-corruption fight

- Making a mockery of justice

- Turning citizens against law enforcement

Clean your house. Prosecute the criminals in your ranks. Restore integrity to your institution.

The world is watching. Nigeria is watching. History will judge how you respond.

SIGN THIS PETITION IF YOU BELIEVE:

☑ Young Nigerians deserve dignity and due process

☑ No one should be detained without charges or court appearance

☑ Law enforcement should enforce laws, not break them

☑ EFCC operatives who commit crimes should be prosecuted

☑ Nigerian families should not be extorted and financially destroyed

☑ Our Constitution means something and must be respected

☑ Nigeria's future depends on protecting, not persecuting, our youth

THE TIME IS NOW

Samuel has been in detention for 39 days without seeing a judge.

Mrs. Okon is dying trying to raise ransom money for her son.

Hundreds of families are in crushing debt from EFCC extortion.

Thousands of young people live in fear every single day.

How many more lives must be destroyed before we say ENOUGH?

SIGN AND SHARE

Your signature is your voice.

Your share could save a life.

Your action today protects Nigeria's tomorrow.

Share this petition with:

- Your family and friends

- Your social media followers

- Your WhatsApp groups

- Your church, mosque, or community

- Nigerian and international media

- Human rights organizations.

EVERY SIGNATURE COUNTS. EVERY SHARE MATTERS.

TARGET: 10,000 SIGNATURES

When we reach 10,000 signatures, we will:

- Deliver this petition to the President, Attorney General, and EFCC Chairman

- Submit to National Human Rights Commission

- Present to National Assembly

- Share with international human rights organizations

- Engage national and international media

- Demand response within 14 days

PETITION STATEMENT

I, the undersigned, demand immediate action to end EFCC brutality, extortion, illegal detention, and theft in Calabar and across Nigeria. I call for the release of all illegally detained persons, investigation and prosecution of criminal operatives, compensation for victims, and comprehensive institutional reforms. I stand with Nigerian youths demanding dignity, due process, and justice.

#EndEFCCINCALABAR #JusticeForCalabarYouths #EndEFCCBrutality #NigerianYouthsMatter

Started by: End EFCC Brutality Movement, Calabar

Date: December 12, 2025

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Is this petition against fighting internet fraud?

A: No. We support fighting genuine financial crimes. We oppose extortion, torture, and illegal detention of innocent people.

Q: Are all young people with laptops innocent?

A: Many are—they're students, developers, designers, entrepreneurs. But even if someone is guilty, they deserve due process, not extortion and torture. Guilty people should be prosecuted in court, not used as ATM machines by EFCC.

Q: What if EFCC ignores this petition?

A: We escalate—peaceful protests, international advocacy, legal action, media engagement. This is just the beginning.

Q: How can I help beyond signing?

A: Share widely, donate to legal defense funds, contact your representatives, join peaceful advocacy, document abuses, support victims.

Q: Is my signature safe?

A: Yes. We collect only names and locations (city/state) to demonstrate nationwide support. Email addresses are kept confidential.

FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES

Contact: [MICHAEL A. OKON]

Phone: [09167701270]

Email: [mokon3386@gmail.com]

JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED.

SIGN NOW. SHARE NOW. ACT NOW.

The future of Nigerian youth depends on what we do today.