TheCable

An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is at a loss about how Patience Jonathan, former first lady, claims to be a housewife yet possess $20m in her account.

According to Punch, the operative, who did not want to be named, was speaking after EFCC froze another Skye Bank account belonging to the former president’s wife, which contained$5million

EFCC had earlier frozen four different accounts linked to the former first lady, containing $15 million in all. However, she described the agency as “a big thief” for the action.

Mrs. Jonathan is the subject of an EFCC investigation regarding the source of the money but she has continued maintaining her innocence.

Punch quoted the operative as saying: “Recall that we had frozen the four companies’ accounts, which Patience Jonathan later laid claim to. We have been able to establish that the money was part of proceeds of crime.

“She had no evidence that the money in the four accounts belonged to her. All she had were platinum debit cards, which she was using to withdraw money and the cards are not evidence of ownership.

“Initially, we had traced $5m to her personal account, which we did not touch but I can confirm to you now that the $5m account, bearing Patience Jonathan’s name, has also been seized since she claimed that the monies in the company accounts and the one in her personal name all emanated from the same source.

“We are tracing other accounts belonging to Patience. It will interest you to know that despite all the letters she has written, she has never stated where she got the money from. She claimed to be a housewife and yet she has $20m.”

On Wednesday, a Niger Delta group threatened to bomb the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) if the EFCC arrests Patience Jonathan.

Accusing the anti-graft agency of witch-hunting the former first lady, the group advised EFCC to lift the No Debit Order imposed on the accounts of Jonathan’s wife.