EFCC freezes Jonathan’s associates’ accounts as Buhari’s probe continues

The anti-corruption campaign of the President
Muhammadu Buhari-led administration
appears to have taken a bigger bite as the bank
accounts of some associates of former
President Goodluck Jonathan have been
secretly flagged by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A member of the Alhaji Ahmed Joda-led
Transition Committee of the All Progressive
Congress (APC) who spoke on the condition of
anonymity said the move by the anti-graft
agency was aimed at stemming the movement
of cash from the multi-billion accounts for
other reasons.
The APC chieftain spoke on the heels of the
condemnation of President Buhari’s on-going
probe, and recovery of funds from the past
administration by the opposition Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).
The affected accounts are those belonging to
Keketobou Foundation floated by former
Special Adviser to Jonathan on Niger Delta,
and co-ordinator of the Amnesty Programme,
Hon Kingsley Kuku,Mieka Divers Limited as
well as Global West Vessels Limited allegedly
owned by ex-Niger Delta warlord, Chief
Government Ekpompolo, otherwise known as
Tompolo. Aside that, one of Jonathan’s close
allies, Mr Kime Engozi’s accounts has also been
flagged. Engozi is the contractor handling the
N30 billion Maritime University contract at
Okerenkoko in the Gbaramatu area of Delta
state.
Besides, funds already approved for the take-
off of the Maritime University are stranded in
a Yenagoa branch of United Bank for Africa Plc.
The NIMASA Technical College at Okoloba, also
in Delta state appears threatened as there are
fears that the institution might be scrapped.
Accounts linked to the immediate past
Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Ad­
ministration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr
Patrick Akpobolokemi are equally ‘flagged’ by
the EFCC.
The top presidency source said although he
could not confirm if Jonathan’s penultimate
meeting with President Buhari discussed the
issue, the action to ‘flag’ the said accounts may
have been for security reasons, even as he
said the opposition PDP was ignorant of the
workings of government, especially security.
“This is not a matter of lobby, or any politics
that should be shoved aside; what is at stake is
the nation’s security and nothing more.
“So when the PDP says the current anti-
corruption drive is selective, we continue to
laugh at them because they do not seem to
know what is at stake at all; if only they know,
all the noise they have been making won’t be
made at all.
“How many of these PDP elements know that
just one individual benefitted from a single
NIMASA transaction to the tune of N13billion,
not to talk of about $57million he was said to
have benefitted from controversial contractual
deals?