Why we arrested Okupe, by Department of State Services

• Published date: 13 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Obi's ex-campaign DG held on 2016 watch list

The Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday said it had arrested the former Director General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (LP-PCC), Doyin Okupe.

In a terse statement, spokesman of the service Dr. Peter Afunanya said Okupe was arrested at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.

It said the erstwhile presidential aide had been handed over to the anti-graft agency.

The statement reads: '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.'

Also, Okupe yesterday said he was erroneously arrested by operatives of the DSS.

The service had said the arrest was made at the instance of the EFCC.

But commenting on the development via his Twitter account, Okupe wrote: 'I was arrested and detained at the MMIA, Lagos, this morning, January 12, on my way to the UK for medicals; years after my passport had been withheld by the FHC Abuja.

'I just left the EFCC office where senior officers in Lagos and Abuja apologised to me for the error.'

The LP chieftain described the arrest as an 'occupational hazard'.

Okupe recently stepped down as the director general of the LP presidential campaign, following his conviction over money laundering charges.

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