Former
president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has gone on exile after getting hint of
plans by Buhari-led government to arrest him when he steps into Nigeria.
A
report by ThisDay has revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan may have
gone into temporary self exile in Cote d’Ivoire, following reports that the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may arrest him on his arrival
in Nigeria from his overseas tour on allegations of corruption and
misappropriation of billions of dollars in the five years during which he was
Head of State.
The
report further states that Jonathan might be going on exile considering the
tensed political atmosphere in Nigeria.
This
is especially true as anti-corruption agencies led by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have swept in on several associates of the
former president on allegations of money laundering, diversion of public funds
and contract scams, mostly linked to defence sector contracts and the purchase
of arms used for the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram in the
North-east, the report states.
It
was also gathered that the arrest of the former president's cousin, Mr.
Aziobola Robert, in connection to a $40 million pipeline surveillance contract,
and his former principal secretary and confidant Mr. Hassan Tukur were factors
that made the Jonathan take the decision.
These
arrests were said to have shaken the former president, given that they were the
two persons closest to him during his presidency.
ThisDay
also revealed that the former president was reliably warned by security sources
of the plan to arrest him once he stepped into the country, hence his decision
to seek exile in Cote d’Ivoire.
Jonathan,
the source disclosed, departed Nigeria for the United States almost two months
ago travelling to several cities but stayed in New York for some two weeks.
After departing the US, he travelled to London to be with his children for a
few days, preparatory to his return to Nigeria.
It
was also gathered that sympathetic officials in different arms of government
have warned Jonathan of the government’s decision to arrest him once he
returned to Nigeria. After getting hint of the latest development, he is said
to have contacted a few West African leaders including the President of Cote
d’Iviore, Mr. Alassane Outtara, who offered him a safe haven until the coast is
clear for him to return to Nigeria.
Sources
close to the president said since the information of the government’s resolve
to arrest Jonathan swept through the Niger Delta, Ijaw militants have gone
berserk and stepped up their attacks on oil and gas installations in the
region. They are said to be hell bent on shutting down oil output completely.
One
source said the militants are targeting all onshore and shallow water
installations, from where Nigeria derives the bulk of 90 per cent of its
foreign exchange earnings and may head for the deep offshore oil fields if the
federal government does not back down.
“Perhaps
the only installations that may not be affected in the interim by militant
attacks are those in the deep offshore basin because they are more difficult to
reach and would require large vessels to access,” said the source who, however,
added that “during the last militant crises we went as far as shutting down the
Bonga deep water oil field”.
When
contacted on the plan by the government to arrest Jonathan and his purported
exile, Buhari’s media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said he was not aware that the
former president was in exile, adding that questions on his arrest could only
be addressed by the security and law enforcement agencies.
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