EFCC boss: Metuh threatens to go on hunger strike; Magu insists PDP spokesman must refund N400m collected from Dasuki

One week after his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has threatened to go on hunger strike.
This was revealed on Monday by the Acting EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, while speaking with online publishers in Lagos.
But the EFCC boss insisted that Metuh would not be released unless he refunds the N400 million he collected from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), from the $2.1 billion arms cash.
Metuh admitted the transfer of N400 million into a company, Destra Investment Limited, in which he has substantial interest.
Magu said: “Contrary to the noise outside, we did our homework very well. Anybody we bring to the EFCC this time around, we used to make sure that we have established a case against him. He (Metuh) must refund the money because it is public money”.
Meanwhile, a Lagos lawyer, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, on Monday, sued the Federal Government seeking an unconditional release of Metuh.
The suit filed in a Federal High Court, Lagos listed the EFCC and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice as respondents.
The suit filed under the enforcement of fundamental rights, the plaintiff contended that the arrest and perpetual detention of Metuh without access to his family was unlawful.
He argued that by virtue of Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, the EFCC had exceeded the maximum time allowed by law for the detention of a citizen, without trial in any court.
He, therefore, sought the court order declaring that the arrest and detention of Metuh without charge “is a flagrant violation of his fundamental rights’’.
“The arrest of the applicant by the first respondent on Jan. 5 at his home at No.14, Drive 1, Prince and Princess Estate, Abuja, constitutes a flagrant violation of his rights.
“These rights are guaranteed under Sections 35, 38, 40 and 41, 42, 43 and 44of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999,’’ he said.
He urged the court to declare that the detention Metuh by the EFCC “in an unknown location, without access to his lawyers, family and doctors, constitutes a flagrant violation of his rights’’.
The lawyer sought the declaration of the court that the respondents were not entitled “to demand for, seize, impound, or detain the applicant’s property and assets in flagrant violation of sections 37, 38, 40 and 41 of the Constitution.’’
He urged the court to grant a restraining injunction against the respondents from further violating the fundamental rights of the applicant through unlawful arrest and detention.
The suit is yet to be assigned to a judge for hearing.