The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the temporary freezing of four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to Mele Kyari, the immediate-past Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over allegations bordering on fraud.
Justice Emeka Nwite made the order after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, moved an ex-parte motion to that effect.
Ujam had told the court that investigations were ongoing into the matter and that the commission would need some time to conclude its findings.
Justice Nwite, therefore, held that the application was meritoriously and accordingly granted.
“I have listened to counsel to the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence with the exhibits and written address attached.
“I found that this application is meritorious, and it is hereby granted as prayed,” he said.
The judge adjourned the matter until September 23 for report.
Backstory
The EFCC had, in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1641, dated August 8 but filed August 11, sought an order.
The commission prayed the court for an order freezing the bank accounts stated in the schedule.
It said the accounts are owned by the suspect (Kyari), “who is currently being investigated in a case involving the offences of conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering pending the conclusion of the investigation.”
These include: Jaiz Bank account number: 0017922724 with account name: Mele Kyari; Jaiz Bank account number: 0017922724 with account name: Mele Kyari; Jaiz Bank account number: 0018575055 with account name: Guwori Community Dev. Fnd and Jaiz Bank number: 0018575141 with account name: Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief.
The anti-graft agency said the application was brought on three grounds.
It argued that the bank accounts in respect of which the reliefs are sought are subject matters of investigation by the commission in relation to misappropriation of funds and criminal breach of trust.
It also said that the preliminary investigation conducted thus far revealed that the bank accounts are linked to the suspect who took advantage of the complainant to be a contract facilitator and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities.
“That there is need to preserve the funds in the identified bank accounts pending the conclusion of investigation and possible prosecution,” it added.
EFCC’s findings
In the affidavit attached to the motion, Amin Abdullahi, an EFCC investigator attached to the Special Investigation (SIS) Unit, said the agency received a petition dated April 24 and filed by Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law against Kyari.
He said he was a member of the team assigned to investigate the matter.
“That upon receipt of the petition referred to in Paragraph 4 above, my team carried out several investigation activities which included seeking and obtaining bank records from commercial Banks,” he said.
The investigator said it also included seeking and receiving corporate details from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in respect of the corporate bodies that featured in the case; inviting and interviewing persons and representatives of companies and persons who featured in the investigation; amongst other activities.
Abdullahi said the investigation so far carried out revealed the following:
“That N661,464,601.50 (Six Hundred and Sixty-One Million, Four Hundred and) which are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities warehoused in four different accounts.
“That, these funds were traced to the suspect Mele Kolo Kyari, who is the former Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
“That the suspect opened various accounts in Jaiz Bank which has been used to receive suspicious inflows from NNPC and various oil companies that have dealings with NNPC.
“That bank records revealed that these accounts are controlled and managed by Mr Kyari through his family members who are acting as fronts.
“Further investigation revealed that the said transactions in the various accounts were disguised as payments for a purported book launch and activities of a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
“That the Commission has written to Jaiz Bank where the accounts 4 referred to are domiciled for the hard copies of the comprehensive account details. While responses of the Banks are being awaited, the Commission has written to post a no debit instruction on the accounts which will only last for 72 hours.
“That I was informed by M.A Babatunde Esq., learned counsel to the Applicant during official briefing at EFCC Headquarters, and I verily believe him that:
“An order of this honourable court is necessary to freeze the said accounts clearly described in schedule 1 to the Motion paper for while investigation is ongoing.
“That it is in the interest of justice to grant this application,” the official deposed.
What you should know
- In a May statement on his X handle, the 60-year-old described such reports as “clear mischief” aimed at damaging his reputation, insisting he was on a “well-deserved rest” after more than three decades of service at the state oil firm.
- He maintained his readiness to account for his stewardship: “I must emphasise that I served with the fear of God, knowing fully well that if I do not account before man, I will account before Allah,” he wrote.
- Kyari’s case forms part of a wider EFCC investigation into the management of refinery rehabilitation funds.
- The commission has requested emolument records of the officials, while over N80 billion has reportedly been traced to the personal accounts of a former refinery managing director.
- President Tinubu has since appointed Bashir Ojulari as NNPCL Group CEO and Ahmadu Kida as non-executive chairman, tasking them with restoring investor confidence and driving operational efficiency.
