Ex-First Lady says EFCC has tried to kill her twice

Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, has accused anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of plotting to assassinate her.

She made the accusation in a letter she wrote to the House of Representatives on Monday, July 10, 2017, claiming she had already survived two attempts on her life.

According to the letter written by her lawyers, Granville Abibo (SAN) & Co, the attempts followed threatening calls and text messages made to her by the agency.

The letter read, "There have been assassination attempts, at least twice, between February and April 2017, against our client ostensibly by the operatives of the EFCC along the Yenagoa-Mbaima Road, Bayelsa State, in furtherance of its unlawful actions against the former first family.

"The EFCC and its agents have repeatedly bugged the personal telephones of our client and her relations through its many operatives and has inundated her with numerous threatening calls and text messages."

ALSO READ: 'Protect me from EFCC, others', ex-First Lady begs Reps

She pleaded with the chamber to stop the agency from its harassment campaign against her, while also accusing the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) of destroying her property in Bayelsa.

The letter read, "On May 3, 2017, officials of the FIRS, in a convoy of about 20 trucks and over 70 personnel, raided our client’s NGO - Aridolf Jo Resort Wellness and Spa Limited - situated at Kpansia Expressway, Bayelsa State, and orchestrated a massive destruction of personal properties belonging to our client without any lawful court order or search warrant and caused mayhem there under the guise of trying to collect unpaid taxes without following any due process provided by law to do so."

Last week, the former First Lady had also petitioned the lower chamber of the National Assembly to protect her from harassment by security agencies.

This was a reaction to the EFCC seizing a five-storey hotel building in Abuja allegedly owned by the First Lady.

Mrs Jonathan's Skye bank account with a balance of $5.9 million was also frozen by the court.

ALSO READ: Appeal court to hear ex-First Lady's case over seized $5.9m on July 12

In the petition through a Rivers state lawmaker, Gogo Bright, Mrs Jonathan urged the lawmakers to call the security agencies to order.

"No former First Lady has been harassed like Dame Patience Jonathan," Bright said.

"But for the sacrifices that her husband has made for the country, the house should consider and call the security agencies to order," the lawmaker added.

Tomorrow, July 12, the Court of Appeal will hear her lawsuit filed against the interim order which froze her bank account with the balance of $5.9 million.

According to the anti-graft agency, the funds in the account are allegedly proceeds of crime.