Tayo Busayo, Abuja
DAILY COURIER – The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has granted a request by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to freeze 24 bank accounts domiciled in different banks, over allegations bordering on terrorism financing.
A report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the anti-graft agency to freeze the accounts for 90 days pending the conclusion of the investigation, following an ex parte motion to the effect, moved by EFCC’s lawyer, Martha Babatunde.
Marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1897/V/2024, the application filed on December 17, by Ekele Iheanacho SAN, on behalf of the EFCC, had prayed for an order freezing the bank accounts owned by a suspected syndicate including Lawrence Lucky Eromosele, who is currently being investigated in a case involving kidnapping.
He said the bank accounts in respect of which the reliefs were sought are subject to matters of investigation by the EFCC in relation to money laundering and terrorism financing.
According to the EFCC, a preliminary investigation 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 launder the proceeds of unlawful activities. It said there was a 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 an investigator attached to the Special Investigation Team of the EFCC domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mohammed Khalil, who claimed to be a member of the team assigned to investigate the matter, 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.
Khali said on receipt of the directive, the team began the investigation by conducting surveillance of the activities of these syndicates, requesting bank instruments. He said the 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, demanding some money 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.”
Khalil 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.
Khalil 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, urged the court to grant the relief to freeze the accounts for 90 days when the investigation would have been completed.
Meanwhile, Justice Nwite, after granting the request, adjourned the matter until March 24, 2025, for mention.
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