Corruption: EFCC Traces Multi-Billion Naira Abuja Property To Patience Jonathan

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has seized a hotel allegedly belonging to Patience Jonathan, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The five-storey hotel, believed to be worth about N3bn, is located near Setraco Construction Company, beside Mabushi Kado Expressway.

The property, which has not been officially opened, has between 50 to 100 rooms, a gymnasium, a fountain and other amenities.

Also, three accounts and three more properties have been put under surveillance by the anti-graft commission in connection with the ongoing investigation of the ex-First Lady.

The three accounts belong to Aribawa Aruera Research Foundation; Finchley Top Homes Limited and AM-PM Network Limited.

The accounts were uncovered in the course of investigating the ex-First Lady and Aribawa Aruera Research Foundation, The Nation learnt from sources close to the investigation..

EFCC investigators have however only established a link between Mrs. Jonathan and Aribawa Aruera Research Foundation.

The anti-graft commission is suspecting a business relationship between Mrs. Jonathan and Finchley Top Homes Limited and AM-PM Network Limited.

Preliminary investigation revealed that huge slush funds might have been laundered through the foundation and the two firms.

Besides, EFCC detectives have turned their searchlight on the ex-First Lady’s relationship with Finchley Top Homes Limited and AM-PM Network Limited.

Another source added: “We have conducted searches at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on the two companies whose accounts were earlier frozen alongside that of the ex-First Lady over $5.8 million which was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime.

“They were among the five companies and one Esther Oba said to be having a total sum of N7.4 billion in six banks.

“But their counsel Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) succeeded in unfreezing the account on April 6 at the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.

“This is a new investigation. It is too early to return any verdict on the two companies because our detectives are looking into their books.”

The source cited Section 7 of the EFCC (Establishment) Act to justify the investigation.

Section 7 of the EFCC Act says: “The commission has power to (a) cause any investigations to be conducted as to whether any person, corporate body or organization has committed any offence under this Act or other law relating to economic and financial crimes.

“(b) Cause investigations to be conducted into the properties of any person if it appears to the commission that the person’s lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.”

The latest probe of Mrs. Jonathan has raised the number of properties linked to her to 17.

About 13 properties were initially associated with the ex-First Lady in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa.