EFCC Explains Why DSS Arrested Peter Obi’s Ally, Okupe

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that the arrest of the former Director-General of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Doyin Okupe, was a mix up.

The chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) was arrested by operatives of the arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), Naija News earlier reported.

Okupe, who was arrested at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, has been released.

Giving reasons for Okupe’s arrest, EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, in a terse statement on Thursday, 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.”

It will be recalled that Okupe was convicted of violating the money laundering act by receiving cash in excess of the law’s provision from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki while he was in office.

The presiding judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu however gave him the option of paying a fine of N500,000 for each of the 26 counts he was found guilty, making a total of N13 million instead of going to jail.

The former presidential aide reportedly escaped jail time by paying the fine imposed on him by the court.