Policemen Raid Patience Jonathan’s Family House in Abuja

Some officials of the Nigeria Police Force raided the home of the former first lady Patience Jonathan, on Wednesday January 4, in Abuja

PUNCH reports that the building which is located at Igbeti Rock Street, Maitama had no occupants in there except the private security guards.

Over 20 policemen came in three Hilux vans and a Toyota Hiace bus and invaded the building. They reportedly left with a brown envelope.

An eyewitness told Punch that the operation was brief.

The Source said:

Men of the Nigerian Police Force raided the home of the former First Lady, Patience Jonathan today (Wednesday). A reporter from one of the television stations, who witnessed the event, was harassed by security officers and her phone seized.

The operation which took place at the Igbeti Rock Street started at about 5 pm. The policemen came in four vehicles and they also took away one hefty brown envelope. They didn’t speak to us on why they came and the content of the envelope.

It was also reported that the raid may be connected with the former First Lady’s N9 billion frozen account and other money laundering allegations.

There was also a controversy as to which government agency raided the building, as it was earlier reported the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) carried out the operation. The EFCC denied the allegation in a statement by it’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren.

It has however been confirmed that officials of the NPF carried out the operation.

The former First Lady described the event as an embarrassing one and says she does not know what these government officials are looking for.

Patience Jonathan’s lawyer, Charles Ogboli, in a statement said:

Actually, it wasn’t the EFCC that invaded the property of Dame Jonathan today, we have had issues of invasion last year by officials of NDLEA, EFCC.

When I met with the officers who invaded the residence today, one of them who was on uniform said they are from a special unit acting on a directive from the Inspector General of Police, while another one who was on mufti claimed that he his from the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

They said they wanted to search the property and told me to bear a witness to their operations, but i insisted I wasn’t entering the premise, they broke the door, went in and took about three cheque books and six company seals.

Speaking to newsmen, Beshel Jeremiah, the security personnel watching over the property said:

“They said they were looking for one Justice Ahmed. I said I don’t know any Justice Ahmed… that this place is not owned by any Justice. They said they want to know the person that owned this place. I told them that I was just transferred to this place on the 20th of December.

They broke the gate. They came in with a lot of weapons. They came in with hammer, they came in with Chisel…they came here with sticks. They were also armed with guns. They were 20 of them. They were very many. They overpowered me. There was nothing else I could do save to allow them in.

This is where they hit me with their gun,” Jeremiah said, pointing toward his right wrist.