Senate subpoenas bank chiefs over alleged freezing of Patience Jonathan’s accounts

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions yesterday summoned seven bank managing directors for allegedly freezing the accounts of Dame Patience Jonathan.

The managements of the financial institutions, including Zenith, First, Eco, Fidelity, Stanbic-IBTC, Diamond and Skye banks, were subpoenaed by the Sam Anyanwu-led panel on the strength of a petition from the former First Lady while holding a public hearing.

In the document, filed on her behalf by Granville Abibo (SAN), Mrs. Jonathan alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), had at different times, “unleashed unprovoked terror, dehumanising, degrading and despicable treatment” on her and relations.

The accounts in question include her personal and that of her companies. She also claimed that the accounts of her non- governmental organisation (NGO), The Women for Change Development Initiative and A.Aruera Foundation as well as Finchley Top Homes Limited were also frozen.

The panel chair insisted that the concerned officials must appear in person.

But the Acting Executive Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu, was absent from the event, writing that he was out of the country and would return today.