There may have been a clumsiness in the arrest of Dr. Doyin Okupe, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) appears to be saying on Thursday afternoon in a statement.
Okupe himself, in a tweet, says he has been released with an apology by EFCC officials
In a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC said: “The Department of State Services, DSS, today, January 12, informed the Commission of the interception of Dr. Doyin Okupe, former presidential adviser, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
“The Service acted on a Watch-list request issued on July 18, 2016, over six years before his recent conviction on money laundering charges by the Federal High Court, Abuja.
“The Commission was in the process of formally lifting the watch-list before his interception and will expedite action in this regard.”
Wrote Okupe in his tweet, “I was arrested & detained @ the MM int airport, Lagos this morning 12th Jan on my way to UK for medicals yrs of my passport being withheld by the FHC Abuja.I hv just left the efcc office where snr officers in lagos& Abuja appologised to me for the error. OCCUPATIONAL HAZZARD abi
The former Director-General of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council and chief campaigner for Peter Obi, Dr. Doyin Okupe, was Thursday arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) at Murtala Mohammed International Airport and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
One of his lawyers, Tolu Babaleye, on Thursday made the disclosure on Facebook adding that Okupe was on his way to London.
He alleged that the DSS asked him to provide court processes where he paid the fine option following his money laundering conviction by the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The lawyer demanded the immediate release of his client.
Reacting, the DSS confirmed the development. Its spokesman, Peter Afunanya, said in a statement, “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.”