Court Okays EFCC’s Request To Freeze Bauchi Govt’s Account

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, last Monday, granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prayer to freeze the First City Monument Bank (FCMB)’s Operational Account number: 0998552074 of the Bauchi State Government.
The EFCC, through his Counsel, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, in an Exparte Order with file number: FHC/ABJ/CS/858/2019, sought the order of the court to freeze the account pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation by the commission.
The Tide source reports that the state government presently has about N11 billion (N11,500,000 000 00) in the bank account.
The judge ordered the EFCC to, within 21 days, notify the respondents; the Bauchi State government and the FCMB about the court’s decision.
The judge, however, adjourned further hearing until September 3.
Earlier, counsel to the EFCC told the judge that the commission was investigating a money laundering case in which the account featured prominently.
He said many non-existent companies were used to transfer funds from the account.
“My Lord, about N19.8 billion cheques were raised on the eve of transferring power to the new government for purportedly non-existent contracts and other grants,” he said.
He told Justice Taiwo that the amount was beyond the N11 billion in the account
According to him, the Accountant General is still a signatory to the account and they are still trying to access the money.
When the judge asked if freezing the FCMB account would not affect the operation of the state government, Aliyu said the action would not affect the government’s operation because the account was not the one linked to Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“They have other accounts and we have tagged this as exhibits 22 and 23,” he said.
Responding to the judge’s question on how long the investigation would take, the counsel said: “My Lord, investigation is like a pregnant activity. If My Lord will give us 21 days, we will be grateful.”
“I have patiently listened to the counsel’s prayer. I therefore grant the order sought by the applicant as prayed.
“Meanwhile, the parties concerned must be put on notice within 21 days of the order of this court,” Justice Taiwo held.
In the suit filed, the EFCC had claimed that the immediate-past government in the state was involved in money laundering for which it deployed the account.
The EFCC stated that it needed to have the account frozen to preserve the funds being held in it.