Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday ordered eight financial institutions to unfreeze accounts linked to the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership (FIPA-APP), United Nations Youth Global Foundation, and 11 other individuals and entities.
The order followed an ex parte motion filed by the Inspector-General of Police’s counsel, Wisdom Madaki, Esq., urging the court to lift restrictions on the accounts to allow the respondents to resume “normal and legitimate transactions.”
The police investigation, which began in 2022, involved allegations of obtaining money by false pretence, criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation, and cheating. During the investigation, the IGP had obtained court orders to freeze the accounts to prevent further withdrawals.
However, the ex parte motion stated that the investigation into the accounts had been concluded, making it necessary for the court to lift the post-no-debit (PND) restrictions. A police officer attached to the Directorate of Legal Services, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Bassey Ibitham, confirmed that the suspect under investigation had confessed to the alleged misappropriation.
At the hearing, Madaki urged the court to exercise judicial discretion in favour of the IGP, noting that unfreezing the accounts would serve the cause of justice and enable a discreet investigation into the activities of the respondents.
Justice Nwite granted the request, allowing the customers to resume their legitimate financial transactions.
This development follows a similar Federal High Court ruling in September 2024, when Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered four Nigerian banks to lift PND restrictions on the accounts of five customers under police investigation for alleged foreign exchange fraud totaling N150 million.
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