Doyin Okupe expected to resume UK trip for medical treatment after DSS release him

FORMER presidential adviser and one-time director-general of the Peter Obi's campaign Dr Doyin Okupe is expected to resume his journey to the UK for medical treatment later this week after security  agents released him following his recent arrest at Lagos airport.

Earlier this week, Dr Okupe was arrested by the men of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. He had been on his way to London for medical treatment but was picked up because he was on an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) watchlist.

EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said the DSS informed the EFCC of the interception, adding that they picked Dr Okupe up because he was on a commission list as far back as July 2018. However, Dr Okupe has since been tried and subsequently sentenced to two years in prison by an Abuja high court with an option of a N500,000 fine on each of the 26 count charges for which he was found guilty.

This means that his case has run its course, so he is no more a wanted man. According to Mr Uwujaren, the EFCC was in the process of formally lifting the watch list before Dr Okupe's interception and will expedite action in this regard.

He added that the EFCC has apologised to Dr Okupe for the error and he has since been released. It is believed that he will now resume his trip to the UK where Dr Okupe is to receive medical treatment.

Last month, Dr Okupe was found guilty of receiving over N200m ($448,460) in cash from a former national security adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki, which contravenes Section 16 of the Money Laundering Act as the amount is in excess of the threshold allowed without going through a financial institution. Shortly after his conviction, his counsel, Francis Oronsaye, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy on the grounds that the defendant was a first time offender, a family man who is also advanced in age and has health challenges.