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A Federal High Court in Abuja has approved the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s request to freeze 24 bank accounts domiciled in different commercial banks over allegations bordering on terrorism financing.
It ruled that the accounts be frozen for 90 days pending the conclusion of the investigation embarked upon by the country’s anti-graft agency.
The court delivered the ruling on Monday while hearing a motion ex-parte, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1897/V/2024, brought before it by a legal practitioner, Ekele Iheanacho.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite, who granted the application after the EFCC’s lawyer, Martha Babatunde, moved an ex-parte motion to the effect, stated that the window would allow the anti-corruption agency to complete its ongoing investigations.
Iheanacho sought an order freezing the bank accounts stated in the schedule which accounts are owned by Lawrence Lucky Eromosele who is currently being investigated in a case involving kidnapping pending the conclusion of the investigation.
He said the bank accounts in respect of which the reliefs were sought are subject matters of investigation by the EFCC in relation to money laundering and terrorism financing.
The senior lawyer said the preliminary investigation conducted thus far revealed that the bank accounts are linked to persons who take advantage of the virtual cryptocurrency exchange platforms to illegally manipulate the value of naira and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities.
He said there was the need to preserve the funds in the identified bank accounts pending the conclusion of the investigation and possible prosecution.
In the affidavit deposed to by Mohammed Khalil, an investigator attached to the Special Investigation Team of the EFCC domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), he said he was a member of the team assigned to investigate the matter.
He said the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, directed the team to investigate a serious threat by a syndicate threatening the lives of senior operatives of the NSA by making demands for payments of ransom.
He said on receipt of the directive, the team began investigation by conducting surveillance of the activities on these syndicates, requesting bank instruments.
Kalil said investigation revealed Lawrence Lucky Eromosele as one of the perpetrators of the crime.
According to him, the operatives received a direct threat involving their families, with the perpetrators providing the home addresses, family locations, and specific movements with a threat to kidnap following failure to remit redemption payments.
He alleged that “one unknown individual contacted an operative, demoing some monies in exchange for their freedom and that of their families.”
“Attached and marked as Exhibit EFCC 1 is the printout of the chat between one of the perpetrators and the operative.”
The officer said in a bid to mitigate some of the threats, the team had identified bank accounts linked to the individuals making the threats.
“Attached and marked as Exhibit EFCC 2 are the bank statements of one of the suspects. Further intelligence has revealed that proceeds of crimes and funds for terrorist activities are covertly exchanged through these platforms,” he said.
Kalil said the order of the court was necessary to freeze the said accounts clearly described in Schedule 1 of the motion paper for which the investigation is ongoing.
Upon resumed hearing, Babatunde, who appeared for EFCC, informed the court that the motion was dated and filed on Dec. 17.
She said the motion prayed for an order freezing the bank accounts in the schedule attached to the application and that the court to grant the relief.
When Justice Nwite asked her for how long the investigation would be conducted, Babatunde said within 90 days.
The judge, who granted the prayer, adjourned the matter until March 24,, 2025 for mention.
