The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged the Federal High Court presided over by Hon. Justice Ahmed Mohammed not to unfreeze the frozen accounts of #EndSARS protesters over alleged terrorism financing.
Besides, the CBN said the action is still under investigation and unfreezing the accounts is likely to jeopardize the process.
TheNigeriaLawyer recalls that the UK Parliaments had earlier criticized FG’s clampdown on #EndSARS protesters by freezing their accounts.
Meanwhile, CBN had filed a counter-affidavit through A.J. Apera, Esq., to a motion on notice filed by Gatefield Nigeria Limited, a company that sponsored freelance journalists to cover the #EndSARS protests in October.
Contrary to the assertion of the Applicant that the accounts were frozen before obtaining a Court order, CBN said it complied with due process in freezing the account by obtaining a Court order dated 4th day of November, 2020.
CBN also said it is imbued with the legal competence to freeze the accounts because it relates to financing and funds being stored in financial institutions.
Besides, it added that the Defendants are still under probe, CBN stated: “That the bank accounts frozen by this honourable court, in this case, are suspected to be involved in transactions bordering on terrorism financing and that the said accounts are being investigated by the Central Bank of Nigeria in that regard.”
Also, CBN deposed that because of the urgency of the situation, there exists no basis upon which they were to be put on notice before the accounts were to be frozen.
“That the allegations involving the defendants’ accounts being investigated by the Central Bank of Nigeria border on terrorism and that there was an extreme urgency warranting the grant of the ex parte order in this suit.”
The CBN, therefore, appeals to the Court “That it will be in the best interest of justice that the instant application be dismissed as the investigations being conducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria in respect of the defendants’ frozen accounts have not been concluded.”
Thenigerialawyer
