Our Reporter, Abuja
The former Director-General (DG) of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Doyin Okupe, on Thursday was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos.
EFCC reportedly apologised to Okupe for the embarrassment saying the arrest was an error.
EFCC Head of Media, Wilson Uwujaren said the DSS informed the Commission of the interception.
The spokesperson noted that the security agency acted on a watch list request issued on July 18, 2016, six years before Okupe’s recent conviction of 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,” Uwujaren added.
Okupe, who has been released, disclosed that EFCC senior officers in Lagos or Abuja “apologised for the error.”
Okupe was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Thursday morning and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who reportedly requested the DSS to arrest Okupe.
DSS spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya had confirmed that the agency arrested Okupe at the behest of the EFCC.
One of Okupe’s lawyers, Tolu Babaleye, on Thursday, said the DSS asked him to provide court processes where he paid the fine option following his money laundering conviction by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
According to Okupe, EFCC officials later apologised for embarrassing him.
“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 apologised to me for the error.
“OCCUPATIONAL HAZZARD abi?,” Okupe tweeted on Thursday.
