ABUJA: The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed six commercial banks to furnish the Inspector-General of Police with account details belonging to Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters.
Justice Emeka Nwite, on Tuesday, granted the order following an ex parte application filed by the IGP’s counsel, Wisdom Madaki.
The motion sought access to Sowore’s financial records as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraud.
According to the application, no fewer than 26 accounts linked to Sowore are under scrutiny, including those operated by Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and the African Action Congress, his political party.
The affected banks are United Bank for Africa (UBA), Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Zenith Bank, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank.
The police asked the court to compel the banks to release account opening documents, mandate cards, and certified copies of all transactions both inflows and outflows from January 2024 to date.
In an affidavit supporting the motion, a police officer from the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Bassey Ibrahim, claimed that intelligence reports suggested Sowore was using the accounts to channel funds for terrorism and to receive financial support from foreign partners.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, held that the request was meritorious. have listened to the submissions of counsel and considered the affidavit evidence.
I am of the view that the application is meritorious and therefore grant the reliefs as prayed, the judge stated.
The ruling marks a significant development in the federal authorities’ investigation into Sowore, who has long been a controversial figure in Nigerian politics and activism.
