Metuh Challenges His Detention In Court

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Monday, January 11th, 2016

By Niyi Adeyi

The National Publicity Secretary of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has purportedly challenged in court, his continuous detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged financial crime.

Metuh who has been under investigation since last week, through his Counsel, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa Monday dragged the EFCC to court as he filed a suit in the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, over infringement on his fundamental human rights and subsequently seeking his immediate release from the agency’s custody.

Mr. Adegboruwa in the affidavit alleged that Metuh’s arrest was part of the grand plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to trample on the opposition as well as make the country a one-party nation.

In the affidavit which he personally deposed with respect to urgency in support of Metuh’s suit, Adegboruwa declared that since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office May 29, 2015, he had since launched “a massive attack” against the PDP. He also alleged the President of personally taking over the EFCC to oppress the opposition.

According to Mr. Adegboruwa, Metuh was seeking declaration by the court that his incarceration by the EFCC without access to his family, lawyer and without being charged to court, was a clear violation of his fundamental rights as provided under sections 33, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44 of the Constitution.

Similarly, Mr. Adegboruwa maintained that his client’s detention was a breach of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Metuh, he claimed has since his arrest been kept under untidy and unhygienic conditions, thus he expressed worry that this might negatively impacted on his health.

Adegboruwa in the affidavit stated: “I verily believe that the applicant has not committed any offence other than his principled opposition to the ruling government and his arrest and detention are meant to silence the opposition and create a one-party state by the respondents to allow the APC to dominate Nigeria.

“Nobody knows the present whereabouts of the applicant, as to his exact place of detention, his condition in the custody and how he is faring. Recently, detainees in the custody of the 1st respondent have been dying due to lack of proper care and adequate medical facilities, as the 1st respondent are not normally well-funded to function effectively, except to be used by the ruling government to hound the opposition”.

Although, Metuh last year at a press conference in Abuja, admitted that he collected an undisclosed sum from the former President Goodluck Jonathan, to execute an assignment, which he has also declined to clarify.

Despite his refusal, the opposition National Publicist was believed to have collected the sum of N400 Million from former President Jonathan. The accused is yet to confirm this and the project he executed with the money.