The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has directed the withdrawal of charges filed against Maryam Isah Shehu and Abubakar Shuraim Abdulhamad, two young Nigerians who were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cyberstalking and the dissemination of malicious information against the Commission.

The decision followed appeals for leniency, including a passionate plea and apology from Shehu’s father, as well as interventions by well-meaning Nigerians who appealed to the EFCC Chairman to exercise compassion.

The two defendants were arraigned on Thursday, August 20, 2026, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The Commission had alleged that their actions constituted cyberstalking and fell within the provisions of Section 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024. The provision criminalises certain forms of electronic communication considered capable of causing harm, harassment or other prohibited consequences.

Following the arraignment, however, Olukoyede exercised discretion to discontinue the prosecution, taking into consideration the circumstances surrounding the case and the appeals made on behalf of the defendants.

The EFCC Chairman subsequently directed that the charges against the two young Nigerians be withdrawn and dropped.

The Commission said the decision was taken after Olukoyede considered the passionate pleas made by Shehu’s father, including his apology, as well as appeals from other Nigerians who sought leniency for the defendants.

While ordering the withdrawal of the charges, Olukoyede maintained that the EFCC would not tolerate deliberate attempts to damage its reputation or undermine the work of the anti-graft agency.

He warned that the Commission would continue to take seriously any wilful attack on its image, regardless of the medium or platform through which such attacks were made.

The EFCC nevertheless assured Nigerians that its operations would remain guided by its statutory responsibilities and the broader national interest.

The Commission said its mandate would continue to be pursued in accordance with the law, while assuring the public that it would remain committed to fighting economic and financial crimes and protecting the integrity of its operations.

The withdrawal of the charges brings an end to the immediate legal proceedings against Shehu and Abdulhamad in the matter, following the intervention of the EFCC Chairman.

Olukoyede’s decision has also underscored the discretion available to the leadership of law-enforcement institutions in considering circumstances surrounding individual cases, particularly where genuine appeals for leniency are made.

The EFCC, however, reiterated that compassion in the particular case should not be interpreted as an indication that deliberate attacks on the Commission’s integrity would be ignored.

The agency maintained that it would continue to defend its institutional reputation while carrying out its responsibilities in accordance with the law.