A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order to freeze 32 bank accounts connected to individuals and entities involved in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests across Nigeria.
The decision, made by Justice Emeka Nwite, allows authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and possible prosecution related to the case.
The order was granted following an ex-parte motion filed by the legal representative of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed, on August 20, 2024.
The accounts in question are suspected of being used to facilitate unlawful activities, including criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.
Justice Nwite instructed the banks holding these accounts to detain account holders or any individuals attempting to conduct transactions on the specified accounts.
The court directed the banks to disable ATM access to the accounts while allowing funds to flow into them. Additionally, the banks are required to contact the Nigeria Police Force immediately if any arrests are made.
The accounts affected include those held with Fidelity Bank, Access Bank, Abbey Mortgage Multipurpose Bank Plc, FCMB, UBA, EcoBank, Union Bank, GTBank, Wema Bank, Sparkle Microfinance Bank Ltd, Fairmoney Microfinance Bank, Polaris Bank, OPAY, and PALMPAY, among others.
The IGP’s application cited that the accounts are under investigation for allegedly storing proceeds from unlawful activities or fraud. The preliminary investigation by the Force Criminal Investigation Department revealed that some of the suspects arrested were being funded to incite violence and undermine the Nigerian government.
The court order aims to prevent the withdrawal or transfer of funds from these accounts, which could jeopardize the ongoing investigation.
The accounts belong to various entities and individuals, including PA.LIN.HO Global Service Ltd, Obidient Movement Multipurpose Cooperative Society, and others linked to the alleged offenses. The investigation suggests that foreign nationals might also be involved in these activities.
The court’s decision to freeze these accounts underscores the seriousness of the allegations and the ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to maintain national security and prevent the financing of criminal activities.
Be the first to comment