A Federal High Court in Abuja Tuesday granted bail to National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, on the condition that he pays N400 million as bond.
Metuh, who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 5, was brought to court from the Kuje Prison in handcuff amidst tight security.
He arrived in a prison bus with registration No. PS-682-AO.
Justice Okon Abang ruled that the country’s chief opposition spokesman should submit his international passport and must provide two sureties with N200 million each. The sureties must have properties in Maitama district of Abuja.
Metuh is accused of receiving N400 million from arms money allegedly diverted by the Office of the National Security Adviser under Col Sambo Dasuki (Rtd).
Meanwhile, the PDP has condemned what it called “the brazen display of authoritarianism” by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government over Metuh’s handcuffing.
A statement signed by the party’s National Secretary, Prof. Adewale Oladipo, reads in parts: “This development which expectedly elicited widespread public outcry clearly betrays an extra-judicial, top political witch-hunt policy of the APC, carefully designed to humiliate, embarrass and portray PDP leaders as common criminals and set the stage to cow and decimate opposition and perceived foes of the government.
“The question remains, if not to mortify, dehumanize and break our National Publicity Secretary, who has been very vocal against the APC administration, and of course to send a signal to others critical of the government, what else would have informed the decision to produce him in court in handcuffs, even when his case does not border on security threat?
“Is this an attempt to sway the court and ambush the judicial process against our National Publicity Secretary, all because of his stance against observed ineptitude and dictatorial tendencies of this administration?”
