Metuh denies refusing to cooperate with EFCC; insists Jonathan gave him N400m

Embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has denied claims by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that refusal to cooperate with the commission is the reason for his continued detention.
Metuh has been in the custody of the EFCC since last Tuesday in the ongoing investigation into the $2.1 billion arms scandal rocking the defence sector.
The EFCC said in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, in Abuja said that Metuh’s continued detention was due to his refusal to refund the N1.2bn linked to him in the arms scandal or sign an undertaking to do so.
It said that the PDP chieftain would be released as soon as he satisfied the bail conditions, making reference to the case of APC Chieftain Jafaru Isa.
However, reacting, Tuesday, in a statement through his Special Assistant Mr. Richard Ihediwa, in Abuja Metuh said it was not true that he had refused to answer questions put forward to him by the EFCC investigators, maintaining that he had volunteered statements to the anti-graft agency in which he explained his role in the alleged arms scandal money.
He said it was true that former President Goodluck Jonathan gave him N400m for a job which he refused to disclose.
In the statement by Ihediwa, Metuh who still refused to disclose the job he executed for the former President that fetched him the huge sum, said he would only disclose the job he did for the former President in court.
“This office wishes to state categorically that Chief Metuh has fully cooperated with investigators within his constitutionally guaranteed rights.
“In exercise of his rights, he has since given his statement to the EFCC wherein he submitted that he received the sum of N400m from the former President for an assignment, which he executed to the satisfaction of the former President.
“In further exercise of his rights, Metuh has also indicated his readiness to make public the nature of this assignment, but only in an open court in line with the laws of the land, and where his statement would not be distorted by anybody.
“Metuh, therefore, believes that his continued incarceration and failure to charge him to court are deliberately intended to prevent him from telling his own story in the open court for all Nigerians to know.”
He said that contrary to the impression that the issue of N400m was a product of investigation, it was actually a product of Metuh’s voluntary statement.
The APC chieftain was arrested for his involvement in the arms procurement scam, to the tune of N170,000,000. Upon his arrest, the retired General admitted receiving the said sum from Dasuki and immediately refunded a total sum of N100,000, 000, with an undertaking to refund the balance of N70,000,000( Seventy Million Naira only) in two weeks.
Uwujaren’s statement also faulted the earlier claim by the PDP that Metuh’s detention was illegal as indicated in a statement by the National Legal Adviser of the People’s Democratic Party, Mr Victor Kwon.
“The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to a statement by the National Legal Adviser of the People’s Democratic Party, Mr Victor Kwon.
“The statement has alleged compromise and witch-hunt in the release of a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, Brig.-Gen. Jafaru Isa (rtd), by the EFCC.
“While the EFCC will not wish to join issues with Kwon, it is important that the public is presented with the facts regarding the release of Isa.
“The reasons above and the fact that his health deteriorated after being admitted to custody prompted the commission to offer the suspect bail.
“The bail granted the suspect by the commission does not amount to his exoneration in the case,” the statement added.
It said that the commission would not be intimidated by the campaign of calumny intended to distract it.
Isa had been arrested for receiving N170m from the $2.1bn meant for arms procurement, but was said to have admitted receiving the money from Dasuki, refunded N100m and signed an undertaking to pay the balance.