How Magu Told The UK Not To Issue Me Visa" - Patience Jonathan Opens Up

Wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Jonathan, has alleged that the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, tried to defame her after he wrote a letter, asking the British High Commission not to grant her visa.

This was included in the petition she wrote to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

She stated that she was however issued visa after the British government investigated her and found her not wanting.

The petition, which was signed by G.I. Abibo (SAN), read in part;

“In February 2017, the EFCC through its acting Chairman, Mr Ibrahim Magu, made a spurious report against our client to the United Kingdom authorities and other international bodies – all in a grand design to forestall the renewal of her visa and other travel documents. 

“The allegations 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 visa and other travel documents to our client.”

She added that the EFCC had investigated her family for no reason with her relative, Mrs Esther Oba,  also been declared a person of interest by the commission for allegedly operating a bank account with $429,381.87 (N135,255,289.05) for her.

The former first lady also said the Nigeria Police Force and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency joined the EFCC to search her properties at least five times.

She added;

“On November 3, 2016, the EFCC physically raided and attacked the premises of our client and her relations situated at 2 Igbeti Street, Maitama, Abuja, in the absence of the occupants of the house, carting away valuable items. 

“On November 30, 2016, the same premises were raided by the officials of the NDLEA with a lorry load of over 50 operatives under the guise of searching for drugs kept in the house. This raid was carried out in the absence of the occupants of the said house. Our client’s house was broken into and vandalised. 

“On January 4, 2017, the EFCC again broke into the said house claiming to be looking for foreign currencies stashed therein. This was done in the absence of the occupants of the house and without any search warrant. The operatives raided the house and took away whatever they fancied.”

The EFCC had said it discovered several bank accounts linked to her, which have been blocked while some of her properties have also been seized.