Court freezes 24 bank accounts for allegedly financing terrorism

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) requested that 24 bank accounts be frozen due to suspected terrorism financing, and the federal high court in Abuja granted their motion. 

The anti-graft agency's ex parte application was allowed by the sitting judge, Emeka Nwite. The ex parte application was submitted by EFCC counsel Ekele Iheanacho. 

Iheanacho told NAN that some of the bank accounts linked to the application are owned by Lawrence Lucky Eromosele, who is the subject of an ongoing investigation into a kidnapping case. 

According to the senior attorney, the agency is looking into the bank accounts in connection with money laundering and financing terrorism.

He claimed that the bank accounts are connected to the money laundered from illegal operations and the earnings of illicit naira manipulation through cryptocurrency platforms. 

The attorney further stated that the money in the bank accounts must be safeguarded until the EFCC's investigation is finished. 

Mohammed Khalil, an EFCC investigator assigned to the national security adviser's (NSA) office, deposed the affidavit that was submitted to the application.

According to Khali's declaration, NSA Director Nuhu Ribadu ordered a team to look into a syndicate that was threatening the lives of senior agents working in his office by extorting money and demanding ransom. 

According to the investigator, syndicate members threatened to kidnap some of the agents' family.

Source