JONATHAN SEEKS REFUGE IN EXILE AS BUHARI ORDERS EFCC TO ARREST HIM

There are strong indications 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, Thisday newspapers reported on Monday.

Several sources close to the ex-president, who confirmed that Jonathan had sought refuge last week in the West African country, also blamed the heightened attacks on oil and gas installations by Ijaw militants in the Niger Delta, resulting in the loss of an estimated 800,000-900,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd), to what they claimed was “the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to renege on his promise that his predecessor had ‘nothing to fear’ from him (Buhari) after he handed over the reins of power on May 29, 2015”.

Investigations by SIGNAL on Monday confirmed the plot to arrest former President Jonathan. An informed Government source who did not want to be named disclosed to our reporter that President Buhari has given the go ahead to the anti-graft agency to arrest the former president.

“I can tell you that President Buhari has given EFCC the nod to pick up former President Jonathan. The handwriting has been on the wall for any visible observer. With the arrests of his cousin, Robert Azibaola, his personal aide Hassan Tukur and other top officials of his government, the EFCC was systematically closing in on him”, the source disclosed.

Immediately after his electoral victory in 2015 and at his presidential inauguration, Buhari, in what was seen as a political gesture, had stated that he would not go after his successor, despite allegations that the former president had presided over widespread corruption during his five years in the saddle.

These arrests of Robert Azibaola and Hassan Tukur were said to have shaken the former president, given that they were the two persons closest to him during his presidency.

Thisday reported on Monday 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 traveling 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.