Ijaw Youth Council brands EFCC’s persecution of Jonathan’s family as witch-hunt

The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYC) on Thursday said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was witch hunting while claiming to be persecuting ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and his family.

The President of IYC, Udengs Eradiri said the EFCC should follow due process in its investigation while speaking at a news conference in Bayelsa State.

He said the EFCC do not get their facts right before running to the media to engage in blackmail.

Eradiri said the call by the anti-graft agency that Patience Jonathan should explain the source of the frozen $20m is a witch-hunt.

He said, “First Ladies in Nigeria do not do any work. You know what it is; a woman naturally attracts a lot of gifts from men, let alone the First Lady who has the power to recommend people for something.

“They receive a lot of ‘Thank you’ and gratification because in most cases they recommend people. Those they recommended usually come back and say thank you ma. Even when they do not recommend, people can go and say thank you with a million dollars.

“The scenario did not start with Dame Patience Jonathan. We know how influential the former First Lady before her was and other first ladies –  how powerful, how rich, how wealthy they were as a result of gratification because they were Presidents’ wives. That is how they amass their wealth.

“If you say Patience Jonathan should go and show how she made her money, then, you must first start with all the other former First Ladies before her, otherwise it is a witch-hunt.”