The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
Metuh was said to have been picked up in his Abuja home on Tuesday morning by four armed officials of the agency who came in a White unmarked Toyota Hiace bus.
He was thereafter taken to the EFCC headquarters where he is currently being quizzed by agents of the commission.
Confirming the arrest, Richard Ihediwa, Special Assistant to Mr. Metuh, said the real reason for his arrest was yet to be known.
Ihediwa said officials of the EFCC said Metuh had some issues to clear with the commission and that he was only being invited, not arrested.
“Chief Metuh is still being kept at the commission’s headquarters and his lawyers are making frantic efforts to reach him.
“While details of why Chief Metuh was invited is yet to be made pubic by the commission, it could be recalled that severally, Chief Metuh, as the mouthpiece of the opposition party had alerted in various press conferences and statements that he has been under threat and that the ruling party and the government have been very uncomfortable with his stance.
“The latest being the outburst and threats by the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun in reaction to Chief Metuh’s criticisms of President Buhari’s widely criticised response on government’s disobedience of court orders, during the last Wednesday’s Presidential Media chat.
“The Office of the National Publicity Secretary will keep the public updated on any development on the issue,” Metuh’s office said.
But sources said Metuh, who days ago raised alarm of threat to his life, was invited concerning his role in the $2.1 billion arms deal.
It was learnt that there were already documentary evidences showing how Metuh got several millions of naira monthly from the Office of the National Security Adviser and another through a company named Dietras.
Metuh had, on Monday denied that he was invited by the EFCC adding: “if indeed, the report is from the EFCC, then they should note that only in a period of tyranny are people investigated on the pages of the newspapers as a prelude for abuse and violation of their freedom and rights under the law.
“It is instructive to observe that a mere media campaign of calumny does not in anyway whatsoever translate to any evidence of guilt. It is rather an evidence of infringement on the rights of the citizenry and manifestation of the reign of tyranny.
“In a democratic and civilized country, where there are issues that require investigations by such agencies, invitations are duly extended. However, to read daily of people being investigated in select newspapers betrays plots to portray them as guilty of fraud and crime, and targeted to convey the PDP as a corrupt party and the APC as party of Nigerians without sin.
“If we now have a system where citizens get to be investigated, tried and executed by planting stories in select newspapers, wherein then lies the need for our judicial process?
“Finally, we do hope that all concerned will be guided by due process at all times.”
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