A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to freeze the bank accounts of 11 customers for a period of 180 days in order for it to conclude investigations into suspicious activities of the persons involved.
This development was disclosed in two documents posted on the CBN website.
The affected bank accounts are owned by Albert Austin Ugochukwu with two bank accounts; Belfour Energy & Allied Services; Belfour Oil and Gas Limited with three bank accounts; Circle Flow Integrated Services; Kacynaus Reality Nigeria Limited with three bank accounts; and Tasmara Integrated Services.
A copy of the court order dated March 12 and filled on March 16 sought the mandatory order of the court to direct First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited to freeze all transactions on accounts and all other bank accounts of the defendants for a period of 180 days pending the outcome of investigation and inquiry currently being conducted by the CBN.
According to the document posted on the apex bank website, it said the investigation was connected to Oluwatoyosi Suwebat Oladipo’, a female staff who is an ‘Assistant Manager of the CBN, Central Business District, Abuja.
However, the Presiding Judge, A.R. Mohammed has ordered that “an interim order is made empowering the applicant to direct the head office of FCMB to freeze forthwith all transactions on the bank accounts listed on the motion paper for a period of 45 days only pending the outcome of investigation currently being conducted by the CBN.”
Also, it added that the order is renewable on expiration but only on good reasons shown and any affected person by this order was entitled to approach the country to seek to set aside, discharge or have the order reviewed for good reasons.
