Feeling endangered, lawyer withdraws Metuh’s suit against FG

The suit seeking the immediate release of detained National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, suffered a setback on Thursday, as Lagos lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, apparently feeling endangered, announced that he has withdrawn the suit he filed to enforce Metuh’s fundamental human rights and have him released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Adegboruwa had filed the suit on Monday before the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking the release of Metuh who has been in EFCC custody since January 5 without being charged to court.

He was arrested in connection with ongoing investigation into alleged diversion and sharing of $2.1 billion arms procurement money by the embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. Metuh is accused of allegedly receiving N400 million from the money.

In an affidavit deposed to by the lawyer on Monday, he claimed that Metuh’s arrest and detention was a continuation of the plan by President Muhammadu Buhari to silence the opposition, calling for his immediate release.

However, Adegboruwa, in a statement on Thursday morning, said he had reviewed the situation and had filed a notice to the court to discontinue the suit, explaining that since filing the suit on Monday, he had been receiving calls from across the country by people who wondered whether he was against Buhari’s anti-graft war.

Adegboruwa said: “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 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.

“Through Chief Metuh, Nigerians have had the benefit of hearing the other side of the sweet stories of change, that the Buhari regime has been feeding us with.”

According to him, he later discovered that Metuh himself had earlier filed a similar suit in Abuja, adding that he is not Metuh’s crony.

“It would seem now that Chief Metuh is finding a common ground with the EFCC, in the light of the revelations coming forth, in relation to his case and the promise to arraign him in court.

“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

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