Federal High Court wey dey Abuja don order make dem freeze four Jaiz Bank accounts wey dem link to former Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Mr Mele Kyari, because of alleged fraud.
Justice Emeka Nwite give the order yesterday after EFCC lawyer carry ex-parte motion go court. EFCC talk say dem still dey investigate the matter and dem need more time to finish the work.
The judge talk say the application make sense and e grant am as dem take request.
E talk say: “I don hear wetin EFCC lawyer talk, I don check the affidavit and all the papers wey dem attach. I see say the application get merit, so I grant am as dem take pray.”
Court don shift the matter go September 23 make EFCC come give report.
EFCC, for the motion wey dem file on August 11, talk say the accounts wey dem wan freeze na the ones wey belong to Kyari, wey dem dey investigate for conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering.
The accounts na: Jaiz Bank account number 0017922724 with name Mele Kyari; another Jaiz Bank account number 0017922724 still with name Mele Kyari; Jaiz Bank account number 0018575055 with name Guwori Community Dev. Fnd; and Jaiz Bank account number 0018575141 with name Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief.
EFCC talk say the accounts na part of the investigation wey concern mismanagement of money and breach of trust.
Dem talk say the investigation wey EFCC don do so far show say the bank accounts dey linked to the suspect wey use the complainant take do contract runs and wash money wey come from illegal waka.
Dem still talk say e dey important make dem hold the money inside those bank accounts until investigation finish and maybe court go carry the matter go prosecution.
For the affidavit wey dem attach to the motion, one EFCC investigator wey dey Special Investigation Unit, Amin Abdullahi, talk say EFCC receive petition on April 24 from one group wey dem call Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law against Kyari.
E talk say him dey part of the team wey dem send to investigate the matter. E add say, “After we receive the petition wey I mention for Paragraph 4, my team begin do plenty investigation work, including collect bank records from commercial banks.”
Abdullahi talk say the investigation wey dem don do so far show say, “N661,464,601.50 wey dem suspect say na money from illegal activity dey inside four different accounts.”
Dem talk say the money wey dem trace go meet Mele Kyari, wey be former GMD of NNPCL. Dem say na him open different accounts for Jaiz Bank wey dem use collect suspicious money from NNPC and oil companies wey dey do business with NNPC.
Dem say bank records show say na Kyari dey control the accounts through him family members wey dey act as cover. Investigation still show say the money wey enter those accounts dey disguise as payment for book launch and NGO activities.
EFCC talk say dem don write Jaiz Bank make dem provide hard copy of full account details. As dem dey wait for the bank reply, EFCC don also write make dem put no debit instruction for the accounts, wey go last only 72 hours.
Dem talk say to make justice work well, court suppose grant the application.
