NCoS confirms detention of Patience Jonathan’s ex-staff who have been appearing in court since 2019
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
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“They were in court on the 10th and 11th of March 2025, and the last time they appeared was Thursday, 3rd April 2025, when the matter was adjourned to 17th Apr”il 2025.
“These inmates have been treated fairly and humanely while in custody, and their fundamental human rights have been respected” – Correctional Service official
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It has been confirmed by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) that 15 former domestic staff of Patience, wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, are being detained at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Okaka in Bayelsa based on court order.
They have been reportedly held for nearly six years without trial over allegedly missing jewellery and other valuables worth more than N200 million belonging to Patience, who was allegedly recently sighted in a closed-door meeting with senior officials of the NCoS Command.
However, a statement issued by NCoS Bayelsa Command Public Relations Officer G.T. Isari dismissed report of a meeting with Patience as malicious and unfounded, as no such meeting occurred between her and any top official of the command.
Isari disclosed that the inmates in question were remanded by the order of High Court 1 of Bayelsa, they have been attending trial as scheduled, and no individual can be admitted into any custodial centre in Nigeria without a valid warrant issued by a competent court of jurisdiction.
“They were in court on the 10th and 11th of March 2025, and the last time they appeared was Thursday, 3rd April 2025, when the matter was adjourned to 17th Apr”il 2025,” he said.
“These inmates have been treated fairly and humanely while in custody, and their fundamental human rights have been respected.”
It is reported that the inmates have been held since 2019 and the case has been adjourned more than 40 times allegedly to ensure they are locked up for maximum punishment.
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