The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the freezing of four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to the immediate past Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari, over alleged fraud.
According to Mediaplusng.com, Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Tuesday after counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ogechi Ujam, moved an ex-parte motion asking the court to block the accounts in the interim, pending the conclusion of investigations.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the EFCC’s application had merit and therefore granted it. The court has adjourned the matter until September 23 for a progress report.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the EFCC, on August 11, filed the ex-parte motion seeking to freeze the accounts allegedly linked to Kyari, who is under investigation for conspiracy, abuse of office, and money laundering. The commission said the case stems from a petition filed by a civil society group, Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law, on April 24.
An EFCC investigator, Amin Abdullahi, disclosed that preliminary findings showed two of the frozen accounts were directly in the name of Mele Kyari, while the other two were registered under an NGO, Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief.
The accounts in question include:
Jaiz Bank Account No: 0017922724 (Mele Kyari)
Jaiz Bank Account No: 0017922725 (Mele Kyari)
Jaiz Bank Account No: 0018575055 (Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief)
Jaiz Bank Account No: 0018575141 (Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief)
The EFCC further alleged that suspicious inflows traced to these accounts totaled over N661 million, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. The funds were allegedly disguised as payments for a book launch and NGO-related activities.
The commission told the court that the freeze order was necessary to preserve the funds while investigations and possible prosecution continue.
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