Olisa Metuh ‘inhumanely kept’ in underground cell – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insinuated that its spokesperson, Olisa Metuh, is being held in an underground cell by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP has been in the custody of the EFCC since he was arrested on Tuesday, in connection to the alleged diversion of $2.1 billion arms funds...

The opposition party on Saturday lamented the continued detention of Metuh, while alleging that the EFCC is keepin him in inhumane conditions.

Speaking on behalf of the party, National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon, said the 'holding charge' being used as justification for detaining Metuh, is illegal and a clear 'abberation and abuse of judicial process'.

"We draw the attention of all Nigerians and the international community to this illegal clamp-down on the opposition spokesman by the EFCC, using a purported holding charge said to have been derived from a magistrate court."

"Holding Charge which implies 'arrest before investigation' instead of 'investigation before arrest' is clearly an aberration and abuse of judicial process which has since been declared by several courts as illegal, null and void, and of no effect as it is totally in contradiction with section 35 (1), (4), (5a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

"The PDP is particularly worried that Chief Metuh, since his arrest on Tuesday, is being inhumanly kept in an underground cell where he is daily threatened by officials, who we gathered, have been mounting pressure on him to accept guilt of fictitious figures and implicate PDP leaders. 

The public is very much aware that the EFCC Chairman has visited the Presidential villa at least twice since Chief Metuh was arrested and detained by the commission, ostensibly to get further directives on the case."

"We invite the world to note that President Buhari's election promise of fighting corruption has now been turned into a man-hunt of PDP leaders, while known corrupt APC leaders are being shielded by the system and rewarded with ministerial positions and other government appointments. 

Our nation is now being turned into a police state with its inherent constitutional violations and infringement on rights of citizens, a scenario which poses grave danger to national stability and survival of our democracy."

"The PDP strongly cautions against the avoidable tension and looming political crisis over the continuous clampdown on our leaders and particularly, the continued incarceration of our spokesperson, Chief Olisa Metuh, who was arrested a few days after he confronted the Federal Government and the APC over their dictatorial pronouncements and actions."

"Our teeming members across the country have so far exercised reasonable restrain, but we caution that there is a limit to what they can stomach in the face of this brazen persecution of our spokesman. The President Buhari-led APC government and the EFCC should therefore hold themselves responsible should there be any breakdown of law and order in the land over this matter.

 "We therefore reinforce our demand on the EFCC to respect the course of law and release Chief Metuh immediately or charge him to court in line with the provisions of our laws if it strongly feels it has a case against him."

"Nigerians cannot afford to return to the era of dictatorship where constitutional provisions, respect for lawful processes and personal freedom of citizens under the law are trampled upon. Their response to this might come with very dire consequences."