SAN FRANCISCO, January 14, (THEWILL) – Lagos-based lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has revealed that he is withdrawing the suit he filed on Monday to challenge the continued detention of the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Metuh has been in the EFCC custody since January 5, 2016, where he is being questioned over his alleged involvement in the diversion and sharing of the $2.1bn arms funds by a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Adegboruwa, in a statement, however, said he had reviewed the situation and had filed a notice to the court to discontinue the suit.
He explained that since filing the suit on Monday he had been inundated with calls from across the country by people who wondered whether he was against Buhari’s anti-graft war.
He, however, said he was not against the anti-corruption war but only that it must be fought within the ambit of the rule of law.
He said he filed the suit in consonance with his unwavering belief that the rule of law must be obeyed, adding that he had neither never met Metuh before nor received instruction or money from him to file the suit.
“Since filing this suit, I have received several telephone calls from colleagues, friends and well-wishers, some congratulating me for the ‘fat’ brief, some criticising me, some seeking explanations and some others commending and encouraging me,” the statement read.
“The truth is that I have never met Chief Metuh before and I did not receive a dime from him, or from anyone else, to file the suit. I did so based upon my conviction, that it was wrong to arrest a citizen of Nigeria, lock him up in custody and be boasting that he will not be released or charged to court.
“My intervention on behalf of Chief Metuh, is not to shield him from his trial, if found wanting, but rather that as the voice of the opposition in Nigeria, he should not be cowed or silenced, without following due process.
“I support the anti-corruption war of this administration, when it is done in accordance with the rule of law.
“My intervention in securing reprieve for victims of human rights abuses, is not novel to Chief Metuh’s case,” Adegboruwa said.
Story by David Oputah
