The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order to freeze the bank accounts of 32 individuals and companies connected to the recent #EndBadGovernance protests that spanned ten days across Nigeria.
The accounts, belonging to various financial institutions, are now subject to investigation and potential prosecution.
Justice Emeka Nwite, responding to a motion from the Inspector-General of Police’s legal team, directed the banks to not only freeze the accounts but also detain any account holders or persons conducting transactions on these accounts.
The order, which was initially granted on August 20, instructs banks to inform the Nigeria Police Force if any arrests are made in relation to these accounts.
The affected accounts include those in major banks like Fidelity, Access, UBA, FCMB, Zenith, and several others.
The Inspector-General of Police, through his counsel, argued that these accounts are suspected of being involved in criminal activities, including terrorism financing, criminal conspiracy, and attempts to destabilize the Nigerian government.
The police alleged that some of the funds in these accounts were being used to recruit individuals for unlawful activities, including plans to overthrow the government.
They further claimed that foreign nationals might be involved in these alleged crimes.
Consequently, the court order is seen as a preventive measure to ensure that the ongoing investigation is not compromised.
The court has mandated the banks to ensure no funds are withdrawn or transferred from these accounts, while still allowing deposits.
The case remains under investigation, and further legal actions are anticipated as the situation develops.
