President Goodluck Jonathan and the burgled house
Former
President and People's Democratic Party chieftain, Goodluck Jonathan
has opened up on the robbery of his apartment by security operatives. He said, yesterday,
that his house in Gwarimpa, Abuja, was stripped bare by thieves who carted away all movable items in the house.
Jonathan, who spoke through a statement issued by his spokesman,
Ikechukwu Eze, last night, said the theft was discovered last month,
after which it was reported to relevant police authorities.
He said six of those arrested by the police were actually policemen
guarding the house, contrary to confirmation by FCT Police Command on
Monday that only four policemen were arrested in respect of the
burglary.
The statement read: “Following series of enquiries from
journalists and other concerned Nigerians on the extent of the reported
vandalisation and theft in the house of former President Dr. Goodluck
Jonathan located in Gwarimpa, Abuja, we, therefore, would like to make
the following clarifications: The theft was discovered last month upon
which a report was duly lodged with the relevant police authorities.
“The police immediately commenced investigations which led to
the arrest and detention of some suspects, six of whom were policemen,
even as investigations continue.
“The house, which the former President bought from CITEC estate
developers in 2004, was totally stripped bare by the thieves who stole
every movable item in the house, including furniture sets, beds,
electronics, toilet and electrical fittings, as well as all internal
doors and frames.
“However, contrary to exaggerated reports in some media, only
six television sets, three refrigerators and one gas cooker were stolen.
Being that the house is a modest, a 4-bedroom duplex, it couldn’t have
been fitted with “36 Plasma television sets and about 25 refrigerators” as falsely reported by some media outfits.
“We thank all Nigerians for their show of concern and wish to convey the former President’s goodwill to all Nigerians.”
A security source involved in the investigation had said by the
time family members of the former President were alerted to the looting
early this month, the house had been stripped bare. The source also said
two dealers who had been main recipients of the stolen items were said
to have closed down their shops at Panteka market and have since
remained at large. The source also revealed that the looting was
discovered when a neighbour noticed “severe damage in the house” and
called a member of President Jonathan’s family to ask whether the house
was undergoing renovation.
The former President was said to have personally gone to inspect
the property after which he reported the vandalism to the
Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
“After a team of officers dispatched to the scene confirmed the
crime, Mr. Idris was said to have ordered the arrest of the three
police officers who were still on guard duty at the residence. They were
arrested about two weeks ago,” the source stated.
A trader at Panteka market, who confessed to being close to one of
the fleeing buyers of the stolen items, according to sources, said the
police officers first brought some items to the market for sale in early
2016. “It all started sometimes around March 2016 when a mobile
police sergeant came to Tipper Garage market and brought some items for
sale.
"He approached one of the wholesalers to buy them, but the
trader said he does not buy items from an unconfirmed owner. “The
officer who identified himself as Sergeant Musa told the trader that he
was one of the security men guarding Mr. Jonathan’s private residence at
Gwarimpa. He took the trader to follow him to confirm that he was not a
thief who had come to sell off stolen properties in the market.
‘’The trader followed him to the residence where he met two
other policemen, an Inspector and a Sergeant. They convinced him that
the items were part of gifts to them,’’ the source had said.
Sources said it was noticed subsequently that the stream of
transaction had no end, as Sergeant Musa continued to invite the trader
to the residence to pick up fresh items.
The source said: “At a point, the trader became scared when he
suspected foul play and told Sergeant Musa that he was no longer
interested in the transaction. However, the officer later got
another customer, a wholesaler in the market, who would eventually buy
almost 80 per cent of all the properties removed from President
Jonathan’s residence.
Jonathan had lived in the house for about a year when he was vice
president. His mother was also said to have lived in the house after the
former President moved to Aso Rock Villa upon becoming Acting President
in 2010. Although Mr Ikechukwu Eze confirmed the story on Monday, he
did not, however state what was stolen in the house.
Also cofirming the incident on Monday, spokesman of FCT Police Command, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, had said in a statement: “The
FCT Police Command wishes to inform the general public that it has
commenced full-fledged investigation into the case of theft in the
Gwarimpa residence of former President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
“Preliminary police investigation on the matter has revealed that some items were found to be missing in the house.
“Meanwhile, the Policemen who are supposed to be on guard duty at the house have been detained for questioning.
“Investigation to find out what actually happened is currently
in progress. The command wants to assure all that the result of
findings on the on-going investigation will be made public.”
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