THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says the arrest of Dr Doyin Okupe, a former media adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, by the Department of State Services (DSS) was based on a 2016 watchlist which the anti-graft agency is planning to activate.
Okupe, who was, until his recent conviction on money laundry charges, the Director-General of Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, was arrested Thursday morning at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while on his way to London.
But reacting to the development, the spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the Service acted on a watchlist request issued over six years before Okupe’s recent conviction by the Federal High Court, Abuja.
EFCC’s statement reads: “The Department of State Services, DSS, today, January 12, informed the Commission of the interception of Doyin Okupe, former presidential adviser, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
“The Service acted on a watch-list request issued on July 18, 2016, over six years before his recent conviction on 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.”
Earlier in a statement, DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, had announced Okupe’s arrest, stating that he (Okupe) was scheduled to fly to London via the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
“Doyin Okupe was intercepted by the DSS at Terminal 1 of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, this morning (Thursday) at the instance of the EFCC.
“He has long been handed over to the Commission, which requested for the action. Okupe was billed to fly to London via Virgin Atlantic,” Afunanya said.
