The Federal High Court in Abuja Monday gave the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) nod to freeze 24 bank accounts domiciled in different banks over allegations bordering on terrorism financing.
The trial Judge, Emeka Nwite, granted the application after the EFCC’s lawyer, Martha Babatunde, moved an ex-parte motion to the effect.
By the pronouncement, the commission has been granted the go-ahead to freeze the accounts for an initial period of 90 days, pending the conclusion of investigation.
The motion ex-parte, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1897/V/2024, was filed by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN.
Iheanacho had in the processes sought for an order freezing the bank accounts listed in the schedule.
The accounts are that of Lawrence Lucky Eromosele, which is domiciled in different banks. He is alleged to be under investigation in a case involving kidnapping.
While justifying the move, the counsel said the bank accounts in respect of 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 so 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 a need to preserve the funds in the identified bank accounts pending the conclusion of 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), Khalil said he was a member of the team assigned to investigate the matter.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, he noted, 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 that on receipt of the directive, the team began an investigation by conducting surveillance of the activities on these syndicates, requesting bank instruments.
Kalil said investigation revealed 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,” he said.
The officer said in a bid to mitigate some of the threats, and 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 stated further that the order of the court was necessary to freeze the said accounts as clearly described in schedule 1 to the motion paper for which investigation is ongoing.
Upon resuming the hearing, Babatunde, who appeared for EFCC, informed the court that the motion was dated and filed on December 17.
She said the motion prayed for an order freezing the bank accounts in the schedule attached to the application.
The lawyer urged 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, after granting the prayer, adjourned the matter until March 24, 2025, for mention.
