Militant group threatens hellfire on NNPC if Patience Jonathan is arrested

A militant group, the Niger Delta Peoples Professional Volunteer Force (NDPPVF) has vowed to bomb the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) should EFCC arrest Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

The group made the threat in a statement by Parkinson George-Amabo, its spokesman.

It also warned the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu to stop the investigation against the former First Lady forthwith, threatening that a continuation of it could result into “bad blood, embarrassment and possible unrest in the Niger Delta”.

Meanwhile sources within the EFCC said the anti graft commission has frozen Mrs Jonathan’s personal account, domiciled in Skye Bank Plc, and containing about $5million.

An EFCC source had claimed that the commission had to take that action after a prima facie case was established against the former First Lady and wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

The militant group, which claimed that its members are workers in the oil and gas industry, alleged that the EFCC is only witch-hunting Mrs Jonathan and asked the commission to lift the No Debit Order imposed on her Skye Bank accounts.

The accounts contained more than $15 million, but Jonathan’s wife has since explained that the money was meant for her medical bills.

While the group said it does not support corruption, it however added that the manner in which the agency is investigating Patience who has had an “impressive and fortuitous pedigree” was wrong.

“As a matter of fact, the EFCC has launched a criminal investigation of Mrs. Jonathan and in the process, frozen her bank accounts domiciled with a Nigerian commercial bank without affording her opportunity to state her own side of the matter,” the statement read.

Read also: EFCC is investigating Patience Jonathan, Magu admits

“Nobody is above the law. The NDPPVF does not support or condone corruption. If Mrs. Jonathan was found to be corrupt, we shall not hesitate to call for her prosecution.

“We, however, have a grouse with the modus operandi of Mrs. Jonathan’s investigation, given her status as the wife of a former deputy governor, former governor, former vice-president, former acting president and finally, former president. She is perhaps, the only Nigerian woman – dead or alive – with such an impressive and fortuitous pedigree; which accounts for why the EFCC needs to thread with caution.

“Recently, there have been calls on the attorney-general of the federation as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and prosecute the former First Lady for alleged money laundering.

“We shall simultaneously bomb the 4 wings of the NNPC Towers the day it is announced that Mrs Patience Goodluck Jonathan has been arrested by the EFCC,” NDPPVF threatened.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

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