Again, Patience Jonathan seeks Reps’ protection from security agencies

Again, former First Lady, Patience Jonathan petitioned the House of Representatives over alleged harassment by the security agencies.

It will be recalled that the House on the 7th December, 2016, received similar petition from the former first lady.

The new petition comes a day after the House of Representatives’ Adhoc committee chaired by Rasak Atunwa (APC-Kwara) resolved to invite her husband to explain his role in the diversion of $1 billion accrued from the Malabu oil deal.

Patience Jonathan’s petition signed by her counsel, G. I. Abibo of Granville Abibo & Co, was addressed to Speaker Yakubu Dogara and laid before the House during Thursday plenary session, by Gogo Bright (PDP-Rivers).

While presenting the report, Bright pleaded that in view of the sacrifices of the former President made for the country while in office, the House should wade into the matter and call the security agencies to order.

The lawmaker noted that no other former first lady has been persecuted like Mrs. Jonathan since her husband left office.

“No former first lady has been harassed like this before. But for the sacrifices that her husband has made for the country, the house should consider and call the security agencies to order.”

The petitioner explained that: “in February 2017, the EFCC through its Acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu made a spurious report against our client to the United Kingdom authorities and other international bodies, all in a grand design to forestall her renewal of her international visa and other traveling documents. The allegations sprouted out against our client by the EFCC, were Duky investigated by the UK authorities and other international bodies who found the reports baseless and thereupon issued the international visa and other travelling documents to our client.

“There have been assassination attempts, at least twice, between February and April, 2017 against our client ostensibly by the operatives of EFCC along the Yenagoa-Mbiama road, Bayelsa state in furtherance of its unlawful actions against the former first family.

“On the 3rd of May, 2017, the agents/officials of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in a convoy of about 20 Lorrie’s and over 70 personnel raised our client’s NGO – Aridolf Jo Resort Wellness and Spa Limited situated at Expressway, Kpansia, Bayelsa state and orchestrated a massive destruction or personal properties belonging to our client, without any lawful court order or search warrant and caused mayhem there under the guise of trying to collect unpaid taxes without following any due process provides by law to do so.

“The EFCC and its agents have repeatedly bugged the personal telephones it our clients and her relations through its countless operatives and inundated her with numerous threatening calls and text messages.

“Only recently, on the 08th and 09th June, 2017, the EFCC have commenced another fresh orchestrated of raids on the personal properties if the NGOs of our clients situate at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua expressway, Mabuchi by Setraco junction, Abuja, FCT and ransacked the building; placing seals round it, all without lawful court order or summons. This recent action have agitated the urgent need for this petition to your office. The harassment against our client have persisted unabated.

“It is to be observed and restated for the unmpteempth time, that in the political history or Nigeria, our client is the only former first lady to be singled out for ill-treatment, persistent, consistent and unwarranted attacks on her person and property ipso facto the only first family of the past Presidents/Heads of State to be treated with so much disdain and contempt,” the petitiiner stated.

Earlier this week, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, ordered Patience Jonathan to pay N500,000 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after she withdrew her suit against the EFCC.

Patience had in February 2017 sued the Commission over alleged breach of her fundamental human rights.

She asked Justice Saliu Saidu to declare that the freezing of her $20 million bank accounts and those of her relatives by the anti-graft agency was a gross violation of her rights to fair hearing and to own property.

She also prayed the court to rule that the ransacking of her family property by the officials of the EFCC was illegal and also demanded the payment of N2 billion for damages.

 

KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja