Omoyele Sowore bank accounts under police probe as Abuja court orders six banks to release financial records over terrorism financing, fraud claims.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a far-reaching order compelling six commercial banks and financial institutions to release details of financial transactions linked to Nigerian politician, human rights activist, and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore, along with accounts connected to his companies and associates.
The directive, which covers transactions between January 2024 and the present date, was delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite on Tuesday.
The order followed the hearing of an ex parte application filed by the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and argued in court by police counsel, Wisdom Madaki.
The case was registered with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025.
The order is binding on six financial institutions, including United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Limited, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Limited.
These institutions have been directed to release the account opening documents, mandate cards, and certified copies of bank statements showing both inflows and outflows of funds for the period under review.
According to court filings, no fewer than 26 bank accounts are implicated in the probe.
Among these are accounts allegedly linked to Sowore personally, as well as to organizations such as the Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and the African Action Congress (AAC) — a political party founded by Sowore.
The Inspector-General of Police applied for the order on the grounds that Sowore was allegedly under investigation for serious financial crimes.
The IGP claimed that intelligence reports suggested that Sowore had been using multiple bank accounts for terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraudulent financial transactions.
The police application read in part: “The accounts in respect of which details are being sought are the accounts the first respondent (Sowore) is using for terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraudulent activities.
“The complainant has therefore commenced an investigation into the activities of the first respondent.”
In addition, the application stressed that Sowore had allegedly been receiving financial support from foreign partners suspected of backing terrorist activities.
In a sworn affidavit filed alongside the motion, the police stated that an intelligence report revealed that Sowore was actively involved in the illegal movement of funds and the concealment of financial transactions.
The affidavit emphasized the urgency of the court order, noting: “The office of the complainant has received credible intelligence indicating that the first respondent is making use of the identified accounts to fund terrorism, launder money, and sustain fraudulent dealings.
“It is therefore imperative that the court grants the order in order to facilitate a thorough investigation.”
The police further argued that without access to the banking records, their investigation would be severely hampered, as critical evidence of transactions could be lost, altered, or concealed.
The order empowers the IGP’s Monitoring Unit to access and review all relevant account records, including the details of beneficiaries, sources of inflows, destinations of outflows, and third-party account numbers associated with the transactions.
The investigation reportedly extends beyond Sowore as an individual, targeting financial activities linked to his companies, political networks, and foundations.
The police claim these accounts may have been used to disguise the flow of funds connected to terrorism and illicit financing.
With this ruling, the six financial institutions are legally bound to comply fully with the request of the police.
Failure to do so could attract legal consequences, as the court order carries the weight of enforcement.
The development raises political and civil rights questions, given Sowore’s status as a well-known activist and critic of successive Nigerian governments.