Again, Jonathan’s wife petitions reps over EFCC, NDLEA harassment

WIFE of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, has again petitioned the House of Representatives over continue harassment from Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Dame Patience in a petition submitted on her behalf by Honourable Gogo Bright Tamuno which was presented before the House yesterday, alleged that, “the EFCC have orchestrated an endless pattern of freezing all accounts belonging to our client in every bank with spurious court orders including all or any accounts belonging to her relations, friends, associates or her non governmental organizations, NGOs which are charitable organisations or entities.

The petition was endorsed by Grandville Abibo, SAN for the former President’s wife.

It will be recalled the House had on December 7, 2016, received a similar petition from the former first lady on the alleged continue harassment by the EFCC.

In the petition, Mrs Jonathan claimed that ” of all the former First ladies of this country, only the NGOs of our client ARM Foundation or World Peace Outreach groups have been singled out for emasculation by the EFCC with repetitive raids on the offices of these NGOs and unwarranted freezing of their accounts even without any lawful court order.

“It need to be emphasised that these NGOs are pet projects of our client, conceived, planted and nurtured by her with the goodwill and contributions of well-meaning persons in Nigeria and beyond.

“On November 3, 2016 precisely, the EFCC physically raided and attacked the premises of our client and her relations situate at no 2 Igbeti street, Maitama, Abuja in the absence of the occupants of the House, carting away valuable items of properties.

“On November 30, 2016, the same premises was raided by the officials of Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with a lorry load of over 50 operatives under the guise of searching for drugs kept in the House. This raid was carried out in the absence of the occupants of the said house. Our client’s house was broken into and vandalised by the NDLEA officials,” the petition stated.

Honourable Bright, while presenting the petition said that the House should intervene because of the sacrifices her husband had made for the country, saying that, “But for the sacrifices that her husband has made for the country, the House should consider and call the security agencies to order.

“No former first lady has been harassed like this before,” Bright said.