Former
Nigeria's first lady, Patience Jonathan, Patience, has opened up on how
she escaped two assassination attempts this year as she appeals for
protection.
Patience Jonathan
Wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, has appealed
to the House of Representatives to protect her from harassment from the
nation’s security agencies, adding that she escaped two assassination
attempts this year, New Telegrapg reports.
The former first lady’s accused the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), the Police and the National Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) of harassing her.
According to the petition, “There have been assassination
attempts, at least twice, between February and April, 2017 against our
client ostensibly by the operatives of the EFCC along the Yenogoa-Mbiama
road, Bayelsa State in furtherance of its unlawful actions against the
(former) first family.
“Only recently, on the 8th and 9th June, 2017, the EFCC have
commenced another fresh orchestration of raids on the personal
properties of the NGOs of our client situated at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua
Expressway, Mbashi by Setraco junction, Abuja, FCT and ransacked the
building, placing seals round it, all without any lawful court order or
summons.
“This recent actions have agitated the urgent need for this
petition to your office. The harassment against our client has persisted
unabated.”
The appeal was contained in a petition addressed to Speaker Yakubu
Dogara and presented to the House yesterday by Hon. Gogo Bright (PDP,
Rivers).
The petition, dated June 9, and titled “Petition on the
persistent, consistent and unwarranted personal attacks and harassment
of Dame (Mrs.) Patience Ibifam Jonathan,” was signed by G.I. Abibo (SAN) of Granvillee Abibo and Co.
It read in part: “We, therefore, hereby complain to you
formally against the agencies of the Federal Government, in particular,
Mr. Ibrahim Magu of the EFCC; the NDLEA, amongst others, who have
persistently, consistently and relentlessly unleashed an unwarranted
campaign of incessant personal harassment and attacks on the person of
our client, all in a bid to bring the former first lady into public
ridicule, odium and dent of their hard earned reputation for no just
cause.
“We posit that time and space will not be sufficient to restate
the various acts of harassment of our client, who is singled out
amongst all former first ladies in Nigeria for the unbridled treatment,
and some of which are restated hereunder.
“The EFCC has 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 organisations (NGOs) which
are charitable organisations or entities.
“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 orders. It needs to be emphasised that these
NGOs are the pet projects of our client, conceived, planted and nurtured
by her with the goodwill and contributions of well-meaning persons in
Nigeria and beyond….
“In February 2017, the EFCC made a spurious report against our
client to the UK authorities and other international bodies; all in a
grand design to forestall her renewal of her international visa and
other travelling documents. The allegations sprouted out against our
client by the EFCC, were duly investigated by the UK authorities and
other international bodies who found the reports baseless and thereupon
issued the international visa and other travel documents to our
clients.”
While presenting the report, Hon. Bright pleaded that in view of
the sacrifices Mrs. Jonathan’s husband made for the country while he was
president, the House should wade into the matter and call the security
agencies to order.
The lawmaker noted that no 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,” Bright said.
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