Presidency investigating ex-president over alleged links with Avengers – Report

According to Premium Times, news of the investigation was disclosed by a top government source, quoting intelligence reports.

The source said further that some of the oil installations bombed in the Niger Delta had actually been mined before the 2015 general elections, when Jonathan was still in power, by some militants close to him.

“The mining was meant to be a “Plan B should they be removed from Aso Rock. The plan then was to cause confusion if the 2015 presidential election did not go as expected, in favour of the then incumbent,” the source said.

“However, when the former president surprisingly conceded the election to President Muhammadu Buhari, according to the source, there was both disappointment and confusion in the camp of those who had designed the plan, causing a suspension of the whole agenda.

“But by February this year, it was learnt, the plan was reopened as several of the backers were getting investigated on different corruption cases. Mr. Jonathan himself was concerned that himself and his wife could be prosecuted, including on money-laundering charges where investigators said evidence against the wife has already been amassed.

“It was at that point that the bombing activities under the banner of the Niger Delta Avengers started. Even the former President himself had been reported while on a foreign trip as saying he knew he was under probe. This was after the plan to start the bombing had become fully operational according to intelligence reports,” he added.

ALSO READ: We’ll sue Jonathan over assassination claims – MEND

Jonathan was accused of funding NDA by a splinter group, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA).

It also accused Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and former Akwa Ibom Governor, Godswill Akpabio of sponsoring the militant group.