Ekweremadu agrees to stand as surety for Metuh over N400m fraud

Embattled National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, who is facing trial over alleged N400million fraud, on Monday, prayed the Federal High Court in Abuja to allow the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to stand surety for him.

Metuh is answering to a seven-count charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him and his firm, Destra Investment Limited.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants had prior to the 2015 presidential election, received N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, without executing any contract.

It said the fund which was released to Metuh and his firm by the erstwhile NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd,‎ ‎was part of about $2.1billion earmarked for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency in the North East.

Meanwhile, at the resumed sitting on Monday, Metuh, through his lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, notified the court of his intention to use Ekweremadu as one of his sureties.

He made the application on a day his former surety, Dr. Olugbumi Usim-Wilson, also applied to withdraw his services.