Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Dr. Doyin Okupe at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, on his way to London, the United Kingdom, on Thursday.
Okupe is the immediate-past director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council.
DSS spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, who confirmed the arrest, said “Doyin Okupe was intercepted by the DSS at Terminal 1 of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos this morning at the instance of the EFCC.
“He has long been handed over to the EFCC which requested for the action. Okupe was billed to fly to London via Virgin Atlantic.”
One of Okupe’s lawyers, Tolu Babaleye, had posted on Facebook that the DSS operatives demanded to see the court processes of the fine he paid on his money laundering case.
Though EFCC wzs yet to state the reason for Okupe’s arrest, LEADERSHIP learnt that it might not be unconnected with his recent conviction by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
One of Okupe’s lawyers, Tolu Babaleye, posted on Facebook that the DSS operatives demanded to see the court processes of the fine he paid on his money laundering case.
“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 of human person. This is unfair as the man’s health is fast failing,” he stated.
One of the sources who confirmed the arrest, also said the reason was 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 fine to the knowledge of the whole world before he was allowed to go home.
Recall that Okupe had resigned from his position as director-general of the Labour Party (LP) presidential campaign council, following the court judgement that convicted him for money laundering.
He had announced his resignation in a letter addressed to Peter Obi, LP presidential candidate, dated December 20, 2022.
