Many months after being watch-listed, Esther Oba, ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan’s sister has been arrested by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC investigators are to interrogate her in connection with the alleged laundering of over N359, 397,458.26 through two firms linked with the former First Lady.
The companies are AM-PM Global Networks Limited and Finchley Homes Limited.
About N317,397,458.26 was traced to the suspect in AM-PM Global Networks Limited. She is expected to explain how she came about the management of N42million in Finchley Homes Limited.
Esther Oba was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about noon on Monday, shortly after arriving from Dubai in company of her husband, three children and a house help.
Upon ascertaining that she was the person watch-listed, the Nigerian Immigration Service alerted the EFCC whose operatives immediately took custody of her.
Clad in a flowery green Ankara with a touch of yellow, the woman was seen yesterday being relocated to a female cell at the EFCC headquarters.
EFCC sources said the suspect is central to the ongoing probe of the former First Lady.
One of the sources said: “We have been looking for her but she has been faceless. We watch-listed her for arrest by any security agency.
“Fortunately at about noon on Monday, the Nigerian Immigration Service(NIS) contacted us that she was arrested while returning from Dubai with her husband and three children. She was arrested at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport.
“Her name featured in the operation of one of the accounts of ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan. The account is in the name of AM-PM Global Networks Limited which is domiciled in Stanbic IBTC. It is one of the accounts we have frozen. She is the sole signatory to the account of this firm suspected to have been used for money laundering.”
The source gave an insight into the preliminary findings of the EFCC which necessitated Mrs Oba’s investigation.
The source added: “From our findings, the closing balance in the account was N317,397,458.26 as at August 10, 2017. The
