Lagos—The former Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the Labour Party (LP), Doyin Okupe has announced that he has regained his freedom following his arrest by Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services earlier on Thursday, According to SaharaReporters.
The DSS confirmed the arrest of Okupe, who was the Director General of the Peter Obi/Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed Presidential Campaign at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, saying it was at the instance of the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Peter Afunanya, the DSS spokesperson, said Okupe was intercepted at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“Doyin Okupe was intercepted by the DSS at Terminal 1 of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos this morning at the instance of the EFCC.
“He has long been handed over to the Commission which requested for the action. Okupe was billed to fly to London via Virgin Atlantic,” Afuannya said.
Confirming his arrest in a tweet shortly after, Okupe said, “I was arrested & detained @ the MMIA, Lagos this morning, 12th Jan on my way to UK for medicals; years after my passport had been withheld by the FHC Abuja.
“I just left the EFCC office where Snr Officers in Lagos & Abuja appologised to me for the error. OCCUPATIONAL HAZZARD abi?”
It was earlier reported the arrest of the Labour Party chieftain.
One of his lawyers, Tolu Babaleye had said the former presidential aide was on his way to London for medical treatment.
“The information reaching me now is that Dr. Doyin Okupe has been arrested at Lagos Airport by the DSS on his way to London,” the lawyer had said.
“The reason according to the source is that he was asked to produce evidence that the Federal High Court Abuja has freed him from the case in which he was convicted and paid fine to the knowledge of the whole world and was allowed to go home.
“When will this harassment stop? Who is after Dr. Doyin Okupe? As at today, the man has no case to answer anywhere, I hereby demand that the DSS should release my Client immediately as this is a violation of his freedom of movement, right to liberty and dignity of human person. This is unfair as the man health is fast failing!.”
Okupe had recently announced his resignation as the DG of the Peter Obi/Datti Presidential Campaign.
This followed a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that convicted him of violating Money Laundering Act.
He was found guilty of receiving over N200 million cash from a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
Okupe was therefore sentenced to two years by Justice Ojukwu with an option of N500, 000 fine on each of the 26 counts for which he was found guilty.
