The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arrested Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), over his alleged involvement in the $2.1 billion arms deal.
The anti-graft agency had earlier issued an invitation to the PDP spokesperson, urging him to appear before it for questioning over his involvement in the deal. A source in the commission had disclosed that some documentary evidences showed that over N1.4 billion was found in his bank account from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Briefing journalists in Abuja in December last year, the PDP spokesman had admitted that he collected some money from former President Goodluck Jonathan to handle a job but failed to mention the amount and the nature of job given to him.
He cried out that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government had concluded plans to ‘silence’ him. Confirming the development, Richard Ihediwa on Tuesday, special assistant to Metuh, said his principal was invited and not arrested. This, he alleged, is in reaction to Metuh’s criticism of the APC government.
The statement reads: “Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrived the Abuja home of the spokesman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh this morning, inviting him to follow them to the commission’s headquarters.
“Upon enquiry on the reasons for the invitation, the officials stated that he has some issues to clear with the commission. They also said he was not being arrested but friendly invited. The operatives, four in number, came in a white unmarked Toyota Hiace bus.
“As at the time of issuing this statement, Metuh is still being kept at the commission’s headquarters and his lawyers were making frantic efforts to reach him.
“While details of why Metuh was invited is yet to be made pubic by the commission, it could be recalled that severally, 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, John Odigie-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.”
