[Mhiz Rebecca]

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Wednesday
fixed Feb. 13 to hear a suit by ex-first lady, Patience
Jonathan against the EFCC seeking to unfreeze her
account.
Also joined in the suit are; Skye Bank Plc, and a former
Special Assistant to ex-President Jonathan, Waripama-
Owei Dudafa.
Others
include Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd,
Seagate Property Development and Investment
Company Ltd, Transocean Property and Investment
Company Ltd and Globus Integrarted Service Ltd.
The ex-first lady is demanding the sum of 200 million
dollars from the commission as damages for infringing
on her rights.
She also prayed the court to issue an order discharging
the freezing order, as well as restrain the EFCC and its
agents from further placing a freezing order on the said
accounts.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday,
Jonathan’s lawyers, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN),
sought for an adjournment to enable him serve his
client’s amended claims on the companies.
He
added
that
other
defendants had been served with copies of the
processes, while they have also served their counter-
affidavits on the plaintiff.
In the absence of any objection from the EFCC’s
counsel, the matter was eventually adjourned to Feb. 13
for further hearing.
In an affidavit in support of Jonathan’s suit and
deposed to by one Sammie Somiari, he avers that on
March 22, 2010, she (Jonathan) had opened five
different accounts with Skye Bank, with the aid of one
Damola Bolodeoku and Dipo Oshodi.
He averred that the account mandate forms were duly
completed and signed by her.
Somiari stated that Jonathan subsequently discovered
that apart from one of the accounts that bore her name,
the other four accounts were opened in the name of
four companies which belonged to Dudafa.
He also averred that she observed that the ATM cards
of the said accounts were issued in the names of the
companies, adding that she complained to Dudafa, who
promised to effect the necessary changes.
He said Dipo Oshodi also promised to effect the
necessary changes.
According to Somiari, Jonathan is not a director,
shareholder or participant in these companies and the
funds in the said accounts are solely owned and
operated by her.
“Dudafa does not own any part of the funds in the said
accounts’’.
According to the deponent, the Skye Bank official,
(Oshodi) did not affect the instructions of the plaintiff
to change the name of the said accounts to her name,
in spite of repeated request.
He averred that notwithstanding the refusal of the bank
to effect the necessary changes, she had been using
the said ATM cards without any interference.
The deponent averred that sometimes in July, Jonathan
discovered that the ATM cards were not functioning,
and immediately contacted the bank which informed her
that a “No debit/freezing order’’ have been placed on
the accounts.
He also averred that on further enquiry, the bank
informed her that the accounts were frozen on the
directive of EFCC as a result of ongoing investigation in
relation to Dudafa.
Jonathan, therefore, contends that she was never
arrested or invited by EFCC prior to the freezing order
placed on the accounts.
She further contends that the freezing order on her
funds by the directive of EFCC without an order of the
court is unlawful and illegal.
Consequently, Jonathan is also seeking an order of
court, directing the unfreezing of her account forthwith.
She also wants an order restraining the EFCC from
taking further steps in relation to the said accounts
pending the determination of the suit. (NAN)