Interpol Rejects EFCC’s Wanted Notice on Atiku’s Son-in-law, Says Case Politically Motivated

Interpol Rejects EFCC’s Wanted Notice on Atiku’s Son-in-law, Says Case Politically Motivated

 

 

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has dismissed a wanted alert issued by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Bashir Haske, a Lagos-based businessman and son-in-law of opposition leader Atiku Abubakar, describing the move as politically motivated.

 

In a statement on Friday, the France-based agency said it would not be part of any attempt by the EFCC to use international policing for political purposes.

 

“Please note that Interpol has no plans to help member countries to advance politically motivated cases,” the organization stated, stressing that its constitution “forbids INTERPOL from issuing a Notice on political, religious, racial, or military grounds.”

 

Interpol also acknowledged awareness of Mr. Abubakar’s position as Nigeria’s opposition leader and underscored its commitment to protecting fundamental rights under international law.

 

The EFCC, under its embattled chairman, Ola Olukoyede, had on Thursday night declared Mr. Haske wanted over alleged money laundering, despite a subsisting federal court order restraining such action. Sources within the oil sector said the move was part of a broader plot to exploit Mr. Haske’s marriage to Atiku’s daughter in the struggle to influence leadership at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).

 

Earlier this month, reports emerged that the EFCC tried to force NNPC chief executive Bayo Ojulari into signing a resignation letter, allegedly acting at the behest of political figures close to Bola Tinubu. That effort collapsed after an intervention by First Lady Remi Tinubu, which neutralized the influence of Tinubu’s longtime associate Olatimbo Ayinde, who is herself facing corruption charges in the United Kingdom.

 

Mr. Haske’s current location remains unclear. He was briefly detained last month before reportedly leaving the country. Neither his representatives nor the NNPC have issued any public comment on the development.

 

Critics say the EFCC has long been weaponized against opposition figures while shielding corrupt loyalists of the ruling party. Established in 2003, the anti-graft agency has been repeatedly criticized for lacking independence, indulging in media trials, and ignoring cases involving allies of successive presidents.

 

A federal judge recently condemned the EFCC for “parading suspects before cameras without serious evidence,” describing its investigations as lacking prosecutorial depth.

 

Interpol’s outright rejection of the Haske notice further highlights what analysts see as the agency’s declining credibility, both at home and abroad, under Bola Tinubu’s government.