The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered six commercial banks to furnish the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) with the details and statements of accounts linked to human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore. The statements of accounts are to cover transactions from January 2024 to date.
The judge, Emeka Nwite, gave the order after police lawyer, Wisdom Madaki, moved an ex-parte motion to the effect.
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In the motion, the police told the court that Mr Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, was being investigated for terrorism financing, money laundering and fraudulent activities.
Mr Nwite, in a ruling, held that the application was meritorious.
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“I have listened to the submission of the counsel to the applicant and I have also gone through the affidavit evidence.
“I am of the view and so hold that the application is meritorious.
“The prayer is hereby granted as prayed,” the judge ruled.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the IGP, in the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025, sued Mr Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation.
The applicant also joined the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd.
The application sought “an order directing the following banks: UBA Plc, GTB plc, ZENITH Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Limited, Moniepoint and Kuda Microfinance Bank Limited to furnish the applicant through the office of the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit account opening package/mandate card, certified true copy of the statement of account reflecting transfers with account numbers of both inflows and outflows from January, 2024 till date.”
The application, anchored on five grounds of argument, said Mr Sowore “is being investigated for terrorism financing, money laundering and fraudulent activities.
“That the complainant had commenced investigation in the activities of the 1st respondent.
“That the accounts seeking to obtain the statement of accounts are the accounts which the 1st respondent is using for terrorism financing and money laundering.”
Already, Mr Sowore is scheduled to appear on Wednesday morning before the same judge for arraignment on forgery and criminal defamation charges brought against him by the police.
The request for Mr Sowore’s bank accounts is a new milestone in police’sintensifying battle with the activist, who has been increasingly critical of the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, over the tenure extension granted him through a controversial amendment of the Police Act last year.
In an ongoing case filed against Mr Sowore in January, the police charged him with cybercrime for referring to Mr Egbetokun as an “Illegal IGP'”.
Mr Sowore, regardless of the charges, has continued to refer to Mr Egbetokun as an “Illegal IGP”, while continuing criticising the IGP’s leadership over alleged ineptitude, corruption and favouritism.
The latest charges newly filed against Mr Sowore arose from a Sahara Reporters publication and his claim on social media accusing Mr Egbetokun of unduly awarding his mistress undeserved promotion.
Earlier this month, the police detained Mr Sowore over the allegations. He was released from custody days after his arrest.
During his detention, he claimed police officers broke his right wrist and denied any wrongdoing, describing the arrest as politically motivated.
He demanded proper medical care and an apology from the police.
The Commissioner in charge of the Special Intervention Squad, Abayomi Shogunle, denied any brutality, explaining that Mr Sowore had been invited over two petitions and refused to make a statement. He said all procedures were being conducted according to the law.
Mr Sowore’s arrest came less than two weeks after his active roles in the 21 July protest of retired police officers to the Force Headquarters in Abuja against the poor retirement and pension packages that have left them impoverished.
Terrorism financing, money laundering allegations
The police told the court on Tuesday that there was the need for the court to order the release of Mr Sowore’s bank details for the purpose of investigation. They said that if the order was not granted, it would jeopardise their investigation.
Also in the affidavit attached to the motion, Bassey Ibrahim, a police officer in the Legal Section, Force CID, alleged that his office received intelligent report that Mr Sowore “is using the accounts for terrorism financing, money laundering and receives financial support from foreign partner for terrorism.”
Mr Ibrahim averred that there was a need for the police to secure the order of the court to obtain the statements of the accounts to enable the office carry out investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities of the suspects.
“That the respondents will not be prejudiced or indemnified by the grant of this application.
“That I swear to this affidavit in good faith believing the content to be true and correct in accordance with the provision of the Oath Act, 2024,” he wrote.
NAN reports that no fewer than 26 bank accounts linked to Mr Sowore, Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and his party, the African Action Congress (AAC)’s accounts, among others, are being targeted by the police.
Mr Sowore, the 2019 and 2023 presidential candidate of the AAC, has continued to champion the mobilisation for follow-up protests by retired police officers over their poor pension.
READ ALSO: Sowore to appear in court over police’s forgery, defamation charges
He alleged that during the last protest in July, a police agent stole his Ray-Ban Meta AI smart glasses.
He shared a video clip on social media showing a man in plain clothes standing behind police officers who were pushing back protesters, including Mr Sowore. Suddenly, the man reached over the crowd and removed Mr Sowore’s glasses.
He announced recently on social media that the police “quietly” returned the glasses to him after realising “they couldn’t crack its data”.
(NAN)
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