DSS Nabs Doyin Okupe at Murtala Mohammed International Airport

Doyin Okupe, the immediate past Director-General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, has been arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS). Okupe was apprehended at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday. 

Okupe’s arrest was contained In a statement released by the Spokesman of the DSS, Peter Afunanya. The secret police revealed that Doyin was intercepted at Terminal 1 of the airport at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Afunanya also hinted that Doyin, who was billed to fly to London via Virgin Atlantic, has been handed over to the anti-graft agency.

EFCC reacts to Doyin Okupe’s arrest

Following the arrest of Okupe by operatives of the DSS, the graft agency has explained that it was a mistaken step. In a recently released statement, EFCC’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, stated that Okupe was apprehended based on a watch-list request issued on July 18, 2016. The watchlist was issued more than six years before his recent conviction on money laundering charges by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

While adding that the process of lifting the watch list was in the works, the commission promised to expedite action in this regard.

Doyin Okupe’s comment on his arrest

Okupe, in a tweet, confirmed his arrest by the secret service on his way to the United Kingdom (UK) for medicals. His tweet came shortly after the news of his arrest broke. Okupe also noted that senior officials of the anti-graft commission apologised to him for the error.

Recall that Okupe was in December 2022 convicted for violating the Money Laundering Act by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The Labour Party chieftain was found guilty of 26 out of the 59 counts levied against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the money laundering offense. The presiding judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu in her ruling stated that the counts attracted a two-year jail term each and would run concurrently. Ojukwu also gave Okupe the option of N500, 000 in each of the counts, amounting to N13 million. 

As a result of these, Okupe who served in the role of the Director-General of the Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Council resigned. Reports say he paid the 13 million fine before joining the party.

NEXT:Court Sentences Doyin Okupe to Two and a Half Years in Jail over Money Laundering