- Court Freezes Mele Kyari’s Bank Accounts Over Fraud Allegations
- EFCC alleges ₦661m suspicious funds traced to Kyari and NGO accounts.
- Freeze is interim, pending investigations and possible prosecution.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the temporary freezing of four bank accounts linked to former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
The order followed an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Justice Emeka Nwite granted the request after EFCC’s counsel, Ogechi Ujam, argued that the accounts must be preserved pending the conclusion of investigations into allegations of conspiracy, abuse of office and money laundering. The matter was adjourned to September 23 for an update on the probe.
According to the EFCC, two of the frozen accounts are in Kyari’s name, while the other two belong to an NGO, Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief. The Commission alleged that the accounts received suspicious inflows from the NNPCL and oil firms dealing with the company.
In an affidavit deposed to by EFCC investigator Amin Abdullahi, the agency stated that ₦661.4 million suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities was traced to the accounts. He further revealed that some of the transactions were disguised as payments for a book launch and NGO activities.
The EFCC said it had earlier written to Jaiz Bank, where the accounts are domiciled, for detailed records and placed a temporary ‘no debit’ instruction before approaching the court. The Commission maintained that the freeze order was necessary to prevent the funds from being moved or tampered with during the ongoing investigation
Kyari, who served as NNPCL boss until recently, is being investigated following a petition by a civil society group, Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law. The court clarified that the freeze order is an interim measure and does not amount to a conviction.
