Details of how Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, was apprehended by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have been revealed.
EFCC operatives arrested him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday.
Before his arrest, the socialite was last seen in public when he was caught by the camera at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, during a FIFA World Cup qualifier match between Ghana and Nigeria last Tuesday.
Many of his fans who were unaware of his arrest had expressed concerns about his whereabouts due to his unusual days-long silence on Instagram. His failure to return birthday wishes which kept flowing in on his Instagram page on Saturday further deepened his fans’ concerns about his whereabouts.
According to sources, quoted by Premium Times, Mr Okechukwu was arrested at the airport while trying to board a flight to Owerri, the Imo State capital.
“We have a popular Instagram socialite in our custody in Abuja. He is known as Cubana Chief Priest. He was arrested on Wednesday, in Abuja on his way to Owerri.
“Our officers, led by an investigator in charge of the matter, had sent a team to the national stadium in Abuja where he was alongside his friends. His activities were carefully monitored.
“We received information after the football match that Mr Cubana Chief Priest would be flying out of the FCT. We picked him up from there at the airport,” one of the sources familiar with the case said.
Sources disclosed that investigators have requested the commission to obtain a warrant to keep Mr Okechuwkwu in detention.
Also, sources said the 41-year-old socialite was picked up after allegedly refusing to honour several EFCC invitations.
“We sought a warrant of arrest to keep him (Cubana Chief Priest) in our custody because this is someone who has been refusing to honour our invitations.
“We would keep him here with us to avoid him tampering with evidence and he can as well answer several questions on the evidence we have against him,” a source added.
Mr Okechukwu is reportedly being interrogated by operatives of the commission over alleged money laundering and tax evasion.
His arrest came months after his associate and long time friend, Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, was arrested by EFCC operatives over a case of alleged money laundering and tax fraud.
