Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has said that promoters of the #ENDSARS protesters are suspected terrorists.
According to him, it is the reason their accounts were frozen.
In a prayer the CBN now has before Federal High Court in Abuja, it said transactions through the 20 accounts frozen suggested they were meant for terrorist activities.
In its document on the case with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1384/2020, filed before Justice A. R. Mohammed, the CBN, however, the CBN said, “The applicant (CBN governor) is thus desirous to have the court empower him to direct the freezing of the 20 accounts listed on the annexure to this application and all other bank accounts held by the defendants.
“A freezing order of this honourable court in respect of the defendants’ accounts would also enable the investigation of the activities of the defendants to a logical conclusion with a view to reporting same to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.”
Among the accounts, domiciled in Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Fidelity Bank, United Bank for Africa and Zenith Bank, are 0056412470, domiciled in Access Bank, belonging to Bolatito Olorunrinu Oduala; and 0033974485 (Access Bank), belonging to Bassey Israel, the medical team coordinator for the #EndSARS protests in Port Harcourt.
CBN added: “My lord, the nature of the transactions undertaken through the defendants’ accounts are of suspected terrorism financing in contravention of Section 13(1)(a)and(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention)(Amendment) Act, 2013 and Regulation 31(2)(a)and (3)(b) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism Regulations, 2013.
“There is a grave allegation that the defendants are involved in suspected terrorism financing via their bank accounts in contravention of the provisions of extant laws and regulations. The aforesaid transactions undertaken by the defendants, using their bank accounts, can cause significant economic and security harm to the public and the Federal Republic of Nigeria if left unchecked.
