The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday approved the Inspector-General of Police’s request for six financial institutions to furnish it with bank transactions involving activist Omoyele Sowore from January 2024 to date.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order in a motion ex parte filed by the IGP’s lawyer, Wisdom Madaki.
In the motion, the IGP alleged before the court that Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, is being investigated over allegations relating to terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraudulent activities.
IGP Allegations
The IGP, in the ex parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025, named Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation as the 1st and 2nd defendants, according to NAN.
The applicant also joined financial institutions as the 3rd to 8th defendants, respectively.
The IGP requested an order directing the named banks and fintech platforms to provide the office of the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit with Sowore’s account opening package/mandate card, certified true copies of statements of account reflecting transfers with account numbers of both inflows and outflows “from January 2024 till date.”
Listing the grounds for the application, Madaki alleged that Sowore “is being investigated for terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraudulent activities.”
“That the complainant has commenced investigation into the activities of the 1st respondent.
“That the accounts for which the statements are being sought are those used by the 1st respondent for terrorism financing and money laundering,” he added.
According to him, the court’s granting of the relief sought is necessary for the investigation, and failure to grant the order could jeopardise the police investigation.
In the affidavit attached to the motion, Bassey Ibrahim, a police officer in the Legal Section, Force CID, stated that his office received an intelligence report that Sowore “is using the accounts for terrorism financing and money laundering and receives financial support from foreign partners for terrorism.”
He added, “The respondents will not be prejudiced or indemnified by the grant of this application.
“I swear to this affidavit in good faith, believing the contents to be true and correct in accordance with the provisions of the Oath Act, 2024,” he deposed.
Reports indicate that about 26 bank accounts linked to Sowore, including Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and African Action Congress (AAC) accounts, among others, are being investigated.
Ruling
Ruling on the application, Justice Nwite held that the IGP’s request was meritorious.
“I have listened to the submission of counsel to the applicant and have also gone through the affidavit evidence.
“I am of the view and so hold that the application is meritorious,” he ruled.
He granted the prayer as requested.
Backstory
In January this year, Sowore was granted N10 million bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja in the alleged cybercrime charges instituted against him by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Sowore, a former presidential candidate, has been a frontline critic of the current government and associated institutions, citing alleged corruption.
- The Federal Government had, in 2019, arraigned and prosecuted Sowore and Bakare on an amended charge of treasonable felony in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/235/2019.
- The duo was alleged to have incited a revolution against the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
- However, they pleaded not guilty.
- The case lingered for years with restrictions placed on Sowore’s movements within Abuja, but the charges were eventually discontinued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
Nairametrics recalls that the Federal High Court in Abuja had, in early 2024, struck out the treasonable felony charges against Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare following their discontinuance by the AGF.
