The National publicity secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in connection with ongoing allegations of diversion of funds meant for the procurement of arms to fight Boko Haram.
A statement released by Metuh’s assistant, Richard Ihediwe, stated that he was arrested at his residence in Abuja earlier today.
“Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrived the Abuja home of the spokesman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh this morning, inviting him to follow them to the commission’s headquarters,” he said.
“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 friendlily invited. The operatives, four in number, came in a White unmarked Toyota Hiace bus. As at the time of issuing this statement, 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 are yet to be made public by the commission, it could be recalled that several times, 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,”the statement reads.
