A Federal High Court in Abuja has authorised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to freeze 24 bank accounts spread across multiple institutions on suspicion of funding terrorism.
Following the filing of an ex-parte motion to that effect by EFCC advocate Martha Babatunde, Justice Emeka Nwite approved the application and gave the commission permission to freeze the accounts for 90 days until the investigation was over.
Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, filed the motion ex-parte, with the designation FHC/ABJ/CS/1897/V/2024, according to NAN.
Iheanacho asked for an order to freeze the bank accounts of Lawrence Lucky Eromosele, who is currently being investigated in a kidnapping case, stated in the schedule until the investigation is complete.
According to him, the EFCC is investigating money laundering and terrorism financing concerns pertaining to the bank accounts for which the assistance was sought.
The senior attorney claims that the initial inquiry has revealed that the bank accounts are linked to those who use virtual cryptocurrency exchange platforms to launder the proceeds of illegal activities and unlawfully manipulate the value of the naira.
“The funds in the designated bank accounts had to be protected until the investigation was completed and any possible charges were filed,” he said.
According to his affidavit, Mohammed Khalil, an investigator with the EFCC’s Special Investigation Team stationed at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), was a member of the team assigned to investigate the case.
According to him, the team was instructed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu to investigate a significant threat posed by a syndicate that threatened the lives of important NSA personnel by demanding ransom payments.
He asserted that the team began the inquiry by requesting bank instruments and keeping an eye on these syndicates’ activities after receiving the mandate.
Kalil stated that one of the criminals identified during the probe was Lawrence Lucky Eromosele.
He said that the operatives were directly threatened with their families, and that the criminals gave them their home addresses, family whereabouts, and particular movements along with a threat of kidnapping if the redemption payments were not made.
He claimed that “an unidentified person contacted an agent, offering some money in return for their freedom and their families’ freedom.”
The printout of the conversation between one of the offenders and the agent is attached and designated as Exhibit EFCC 1.
To alleviate some of the concerns, the officer said, the squad had tracked down bank accounts linked to the threat-makers.
One of the suspects’ bank statements are provided and referred to as Exhibit EFCC 2.
“More intelligence has shown that money for terrorist activities and the proceeds of criminal activity are secretly transferred through these platforms,” he stated.
In order to freeze the aforementioned accounts, which are included in Schedule 1 of the motion paper and are the focus of an ongoing investigation, Kalil said the court’s ruling was necessary.
The EFCC’s representative, Babatunde, told the court at the reopened hearing that the motion was dated and submitted on December 17.
The move, according to her, asked for an order freezing the bank accounts listed in the application’s schedule.
To provide the relief, the attorney pleaded with the court.
When asked by Justice Nwite how long the probe would take, Babatunde replied that it would take 90 days.
The prayer was granted by the judge, who postponed the case until March 24, 2025, for further discussion.