A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered the temporary freezing of 21 bank accounts domiciled in some commercial banks and directed the arrest of the account holders by the police.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after counsel for the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed, moved a motion ex-parte to the effect.
Justice Nwite also granted the “order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATMs while allowing inflow into the said accounts” pending the conclusion of investigation.
“I have listened to the submission of the learner counsel for the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence. I am of the view that the motion ex-parte is meritorious.
“The application is hereby granted except that the period of the investigation can only last for a period of 90 days,” he said.
The judge adjourned the matter until April 3 for mention.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the I-G is the applicant in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1965/V/2024, the 13 banks are sued as 1st to 13 defendants, respectively.
The IG, in the motion filed by Mohammed, sought an interim order directing the listed “banks to freeze the accounts mentioned in the schedule attached to this summon pending investigation and prosecution of this case.”
“An order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATM while allowing inflow into the said account as from the date of this court order; an order of the court, directing the bank to apprehend the account holder or any person transacting business on the said account and contact the police through this number 09011483807.”
In the affidavit deposed to by Glory Ohio, a detective with the Nigeria Police Force attached to Force Criminal Investigation Department, on February 12, 2024, the IG received a petition bordering on stealing and breach of trust which preliminary investigation revealed to be money laundering.
Ohio averred that the head of the team was assigned to investigate the complaint to determine the allegations contained in the petition and investigations were initiated in that respect.
According to the detective, this is done to promote money laundering and conceal his illegal activities.
The officer said the intelligent report gathered so far revealed that the suspects were making an effort to transfer or withdraw money from the accounts and that unless the court grants the order, otherwise, the investigation will be jeopardised.
