PDP House Of Reps Members Give EFCC 48 Hours Ultimatum For Metuh’s Release

Members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives on Tuesday demanded the release of the party’s National Publicity Secretary Olisa Metuh.

Metuh has been under detention for more than a week by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly collecting N400 million from the $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of arms to fight Boko Haram, which the commission is investigating.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the PDP Reps led by their leader Leo Ogor said Metuh’s continued detention was a breach of the rule of law and demanded that the EFCC should either release him on administrative bail within the next 48 hours or take him to a “competent court of law.”

Ogor said failure to do so would leave them with no option than to follow all democratic processes on the matter, including going international if need be.

Meanwhile, Lagos Lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa yesterday dragged the Federal government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before the Federal High Court in Lagos, over the continued detention of the spokesman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.

Adegboruwa is seeking an order directing the government and its agents to immediate release Metuh from the custody of the EFCC.

Also joined in the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed on Monday is the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The EFCC had arrested the PDP spokesman last week in continuation of its investigation into the alleged diversion and sharing of over $2 billion” meant for purchase of arms to fight Boko Haram.

The commission said Metuh has some questions to answer regarding some fund said to have been traced to his firm.

In the suit No. FHC/L/CS/21/2016, Adegboruwa is also asking the court for an order restraining the respondents, whether by themselves, their servants, agents, officers or otherwise howsoever from further arresting, detaining, persecuting, trailing or in any other manner taking steps that may jeopardize the liberty, freedom and life of the applicant except and in a manner permitted and sanctioned by law.

He is further urging the court for declaration that the Respondents are not entitled to arrest, detain or in any other manner restrict the liberty of the Applicant without charge in flagrant violation of the Applicant’s fundamental rights guaranteed under sections 35, 38, 40 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and Articles 4, 5, 6, 9, 12 and 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap. 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.