The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Federal Inland Revenue Service on Wednesday failed to appear before a committee of the House of Representatives.

The committee is investigating the allegations of harassment made against them by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Patience Jonathan.

The NDLEA, however sent a Director, Femi Oloruntoba, to defend the actions of the anti-narcotics agency.

Mrs. Jonathan, in a petition laid before the House on July 6, had complained of harassment by agents of the Federal Government, particularly the EFCC, NDLEA and FIRS.

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She also alleged that there were assassination plots against her and attempts by the EFCC to frustrate her efforts to secure a United Kingdom visa.

The former President’s wife complained that she had yet to know why out of all the “former first ladies” in Nigeria, she was the only one singled out for harassment by the agents of government.

The petition read partly, “Only recently, on the 8th and 9th June, 2017, the EFCC commenced another fresh orchestration of raids on the personal properties of the NGOs of our client situate at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Expressway, Mabuchi by Setraco Junction, Abuja and ransacked the building.

“They placed seals around it, all without any lawful court order or summons. The recent action has agitated the urgent need for this petition to your office. The harassment against our client has persisted unabated.”

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At the opening of the hearing on Wednesday, her lawyer, Sammie Somiari, told the committee that Patience stood by all the she wrote in the petition.

“We hereby adopt the petition we sent to the House. Our concern is the lack of due process, search warrant and the illegality of the raids on the properties of our client, her associates and family members by these agencies of government,” he told the committee.

Oloruntoba who represented the NDLEA admitted that a property belonging to an associate of Patience was searched on November 30, 2016 after the NDLEA got information that some illicit drugs were stored there.

[Read Also: Patience Jonathan petitions reps over alleged harassment by security operatives]

He claimed that the agency did not know that the property was linked to Mrs. Jonathan or her associate.

He explained, “Our ID card is our search warrant. This is because delay can make suspects to tamper with the evidence. Our operation is in line with international best practices. But, we didn’t find anything incriminating in the building.”

Oloruntoba said the circumstances did not make the writing of an apology compulsory.

The House committee later adjourned the hearing to September 16.