Chief Olisa Metuh Arrested, PDP Releases Statement

Chief Olisa Metuh, The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Chief Metuh, the spokesperson for the PDP was picked up at his residence located at Drive One, Prince and Princess Estate, in the Gudu axis of Abuja on Tuesday morning.

He was taken in for questioning over part of the arms funds that was traced to a firm associated with him.

His media aide, Richard Ihediwa, said upon inquiry 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.”

“While details of why Chief Metuh was invited is yet to be made pubic 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 criticized response on government’s disobedience of court orders, during 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 said.

Read full Statement

In a statement signed by Metuh’s Special Assistant, Richard Ihediwa, the party stated that while the reason for the arrest remains unclear, the PDP spokesperson might be the target of a war of attrition as he’s been very critical and outspoken against the current government.

The Full 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), Chief 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, Chief Metuh is still being kept at the commission’s headquarters and his lawyers were making frantic efforts to reach him.

“While details of why Chief Metuh was invited is yet to be made pubic by the commission, it could be recalled that severally, 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 criticized 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.”