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Why Okupe Was Rearrested – DSS

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The Department of State Service has explained the reasons behind the rearrest of the immediate past Director-General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Doyin Okupe, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos State, citing the cooperation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as the mastermind for the interception.

The PUNCH, on Monday, December 19, 2022, reported that Okupe was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for breaching the Money Laundering Act.

According to the EFCC that engineered the arrest, Okupe was charged to court for receiving N702 million in illegal payment from public funds meant to procure arms to fight insurgency in 2019. He was convicted of the offence by the Federal High Court.

One of the charges read, “That you, Dr Doyin Okupe, being the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan from July 2012 to May 2015 and being the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, and a signatory to the bank account of Abrahams Telecoms Limited, on or October 3, 2014, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, directly took possession or control of the sum of N35million, transferred to the account of Abrahams Telecoms Ltd from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria, purporting to be for special services when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity.”

Justice Ojukwu, in a judgment, held that Okupe, also the former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on media to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan was found guilty of contravening Sections 16(1)&(2) of the Money Laundering Act, for accepting cash payments without going through a financial institution, in excess of the threshold allowed under the Act.

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Reacting to his rearrest on Thursday at the Lagos Airport, the Public Relations Officer for DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, said the former LP campaign DG was arrested after his attempt to leave the country for London.

Doyin Okupe was intercepted by DSS at Terminal 1 of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos this morning at the instance of the EFCC,” Afunanya said in a text message sent to The PUNCH enquiring about his (Okupe) arrest.

He has long been handed over to the commission which requested the action. Okupe was billed to fly to London via Virgin Atlantic.”

READ ALSO: Okupe Breaks Silence On His Arrest By DSS

However, one of Okupe lawyers, Tolu Babaleye, has reacted on Facebook bemoaning the arrest of his client.

Babalaye claimed that the DSS asked him to provide court processes where he paid the fine option following his money laundering conviction by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

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“The reason according to the source is that he was asked to produce evidence that the Federal High Court Abuja has freed him from the case in which he was convicted and paid a fine to the knowledge of the whole world and was allowed to go home.

“When will this harassment stop? Who is after Dr Okupe? As of today, the man has no case to answer, I hereby demand that the DSS should release my client immediately as this is a violation of his freedom of movement, right to liberty and dignity as a human person. This is unfair as the man’s health is fast failing,” he wrote.

 

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Shaibu Impeachment: Panel Fixes Date For Commencement Of Sitting

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The seven-man panel set up by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Daniel Okungbowa, to probe the impeachment petition against deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, has fixed April 3, 2024 for the commencement of its sitting.

Administrative secretary of the panel, George Odidi, disclosed this in a statement dated March 28, 2024 and made available to newsmen in Benin City.

Odidi said the panel would hold its sittings at Judges Conference Room, New High Court Complex, Benin City.

READ ALSO: CJ Has Seven Days To Set Up Panel On Shaibu – Edo Assembly

He said parties or their counsel are expected to be present while the complainant is expected to be ready to present its case.

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The statement reads, “Take notice that consequent upon the inauguration of the above panel by His Lordship the Hon. Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice D.I. Okungbowa in line with section 188 subsection 5 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the said Panel shall commence sitting at Judges Conference room, New High Court Complex, Benin City on Wednesday 3″day of April, 2024 at 10:00Am prompt.

READ ALSO: Again, Shaibu Loses Bid To Stop Impeachment

“Parties and /or their counsel are expected to be present on that day while the complainant is expected to be ready to present it’s case on that day.”

The Chief Judge of Edo State, Daniel Okungbowa, had on Friday, March 22, 2024, constituted a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations in the impeachment notice served on the deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, in line with the resolution of the State House of Assembly.

Members of the panel are Justice S.A. Omonua (rtd), Professor Theresa Akpoghome, Oghogho Ayodele Oviasu, Surveyor Andrew Oliha, Idris Abdulkareen , President Aigbokhian and Mariam Erakhoba Ilavbare.

 

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I Was Tied For Three Days, Abducted Lagos Editor Recounts Ordeal

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The abducted Editor of FirstNews Newspaper, Segun Olatunji, on Thursday, recounted his ordeal at the hands of the military personnel who abducted him from his Lagos home.

Military authorities had earlier on Thursday, yielded to pressure and released Olatunji, who was abducted from his home in Lagos State on Friday, March 15, 2024.

The PUNCH confirmed that he was released to some media stakeholders, including Yomi Odunuga of The Nation newspaper and Iyobosa Uwugiaren of Thisday Newspaper in Abuja after sustained pressure from the media.

They were asked to guarantee that they would make Olatunji available if needed again.

The International Press Institute, the Nigeria Guild of Editors, and Olatunji’s employers had in separate statements faulted his incarceration, asking authorities to either release the editor or charge him to court.

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READ ALSO: INEC Disowns LP’s National Convention

Narrating his ordeal after his release at a press briefing organised by the leaderships of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists and IPI in Abuja, Olatunji said he was blindfolded and flown to the Federal Capital Territory where he was moved to a cell in handcuffs and leg chains for almost three days.

He said, “Someone came claiming to be from the military. He identified himself as Colonel Lawal. Immediately, he seized my phones.

“I went to the room to dress up. By the time I got downstairs, I saw soldiers inside the compound taking positions. Outside the gate, I saw about three vehicles with Air Force personnel, Army, Defence Intelligence Agency, and others all fully armed.

READ ALSO:Israel Bombs Gaza, Fights Hamas Around Hospitals

“I was handcuffed and taken straight to the office of the National Air Defence Corps where we waited for three hours. I did not know that they were waiting for an aircraft to pick me up to Abuja.

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“When the aircraft landed, I was blindfolded and moved to the aircraft, and we landed in Abuja shortly. I was leg cuffed also. They removed my clothes and I was left with my boxers. I was taken to Cell 9.

“There, I was left with leg and handcuffs. And at a point, one of the officers came and tightened the right leg and the right hand, and I was there groaning in pain. They did not loosen it until about two or three days after.

“Up till now, I could still feel the pains in my hands and legs.”

READ ALSO: Man Stabs Four To Death In US

Olatunji said those behind his ordeal were close to the government based on the questions he was asked.

He added, “They were asking me questions about certain stories that FirstNews had published.

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“They first told me that I was one of those abusing the Chief of Defence Intelligence (Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye). They did not say much about that.”

He said they also asked him about a story FirstNews had published about the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu (Mr Femi Gbajabiamila), which he described as a “major thing”.

“That is why I told some people earlier that those behind my arrest are people in the corridors of power who are not happy with FirstNews is doing and are bent on taking their own pound of flesh,” he added.

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JUST IN: Secondus, Sekibo, Others Declare Support For Tinubu, Fubara

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A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus; and members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party for the 2023 general elections in Rivers State have declared loyalty and support for President Bola Tinubu and the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

A former Minister of Transportation and the Director-General, PDP-PCC Rivers State, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, made the declaration during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Nigerian Lady Set To Drive From London To Lagos

Present at the briefing were Secondus; former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara; Celestine Omehia, former deputy governor of the state, Tele Ikuru; Senator Lee Maeba; and former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Gabriel Pidomson. among others.

The council supported the PDP presidential candidate in 2023, Atiku Abubakar, in the last elections.

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Details later…

 

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