Six months later, court unfreezes Patience Jonathan’s 16 bank accounts

An Abuja federal high court has ordered that 16 frozen bank accounts belonging to ex-first lady Patience Jonathan be unfrozen.

Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, gave the order on Tuesday – having frozen the accounts on May 30.

The accounts were frozen on account of a suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency was given 90 days to carry out its investigation on the said accounts.

Five of the frozen accounts are domiciled in Skye Bank Plc, seven in Diamond Bank Plc and the remaining four accounts are with Union Bank Plc, First Bank Plc, Ecobank and Zenith Bank Plc.

However, the court reversed the order on grounds of an application filed by Mike Ozekhome, counsel to Jonathan, stating that the interim forfeiture of the accounts had lapsed.

Richard Dauda, EFCC lawyer, had in reaction to the application, prayed the court for an extension of the forfeiture order against funds in the 16 bank accounts.

Nyako, having heard both applications, ruled that the forfeiture order could not be extended and asked for the accounts to be unfrozen in favour of Ozekhome.