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Unfreeze 20 #EndSARS Protesters Bank Accounts – Court Orders CBN
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to unfreeze the accounts of 20 #EndSARS campaigners targeted by the apex bank after last year’s anti-police brutality demonstrations.
The accounts of the protesters remained frozen despite the expiration of the 90-day order on February 2, according Premium Times report.
The judge, Ahmed Mohammed, issued the order unfreezing the accounts after the legal teams of both the CBN and the 20 defendants decided to end the case on Wednesday.
The judge commended the two lawyers for their “commitment to ensure justice” after they announced their decision to withdraw all pending applications and the entire suit.
“In the light of this, the ex parte order issued on November 4, 2022 freezing the accounts of the defendants pending the investigation by the Central Bank of Nigeria is here by set aside.
“An order is also made unfreezing the accounts of the defendants,” Mr Mohammed ruled on Wednesday.
Earlier, CBN’s lawyer, Michael Aondoakaa, a former Attorney-General of the Federation, told the judge he filed an ex parte application for the extension of the expired order on Tuesday, but later got instruction from the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to withdraw the case.
Mr Aondoakaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said he was withdrawing the suit in the spirit of reconciliation behind the setting up of the various Judicial Panels of Inquiry set up to probe cases of police brutality in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests.
He said, “This matter involves young people. I talked to my colleagues and I advised, let us discard all the processes. I will withdraw my processes and they will withdraw theirs.
“By implication, the order goes, the accounts will be unfrozen, and nobody will be indicted.
“The government has set up reconciliation panels. We should give room for a rethink on this matter.
“We have the instruction form my client, the Governor of CBN, that in the spirit of reconciliation, we should not apply for the extension of the order.
“So we are withdrawing our ex parte motion. We should allow reconciliation and peace to reign.”
Responding, the defendants’ lawyer, Femi Falana, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, confirmed that he had discussed with Mr Aondoakaa “on the way forward in this matter.”
He, however, insisted that “the order ex parte made by this court expired last week.”
He said he had filed “a motion to have the order quashed” but “has been overtaken by event, since the order has expired.”
After hearing the two lawyers, the judge set aside the order and struck out the suit.
Mr Aondokaa promised to ensure that that “the accounts are unfrozen” as soon as the court’s written order is issued.
The #EndSARS protesters and promoters targeted in the case by the CBN included Bolatito Oduala, Chima Ibebunjoh, Mary Kpengwa, Gatefield Nigeria Limited, Saadat Bibi, Bassey Israel, Wisdom Obi, Nicholas Osazele, Ebere Idibie, Akintomide Yusuf, Uhuo Promise, Mosopefoluwa Odeseye and Adegoke Emmanuel.
The rest are, Umoh Ekanem, Babatunde Segun, Mulu Teghenan, Mary Oshifowora, Winifred Jacob, Victor Solomon, and Idunu Williams.
The 20 account holders affected by the freezing order had participated in or contributed to the #EndSARS protests which were triggered by grievances arising from years of harassment and rights violations by operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The protests led to the disbandment of the police tactical squad in October last year.
In the twilight of the protests, the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, on October 15, 2020, directed various banks to place a Post-No-Debit order on the accounts linked to the 20 #EndSARS campaigners.
About three weeks after, the CBN, through its lawyer, Mr Aondoakaa, on November 4, 2020, obtained an ex parte order of the Federal High Court in Abuja freezing their bank accounts for 90 days.
The judge gave the order based on CBN’s allegation that the 20 defendants were suspected of terrorism financing.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the court order was widely condemned as an attack on democracy.
The protesters challenged the order but the judge, who kept adjourning the case, did not conclude hearing on the matter until Wednesday.
Premium Times
President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Sunday, joined others for prayers at the National Eid ground in Abuja, as Nigerian Muslims mark the Eid-El-Fitr celebrations together with millions of others around the world.
Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and some ministers also observed the prayer at the same venue.
Eid-El-Fitr, meaning the festival of breaking the fast, is a time of gratitude, charity and communal harmony.
It began with special prayers known as Eid prayers held in Mosques and open spaces. Following the prayers, families share festive meals, exchange gifts and extend warm greetings.
Eid is a time to remember those less fortunate and to strengthen the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood. A key component of Eid is Zakat al Fitr, a mandatory charitable donation intended to ensure everyone irrespective of their financial situation can participate in the joy of the celebration.
This act of giving embodies the spirit of compassion and solidarity that Ramdan emphasizes. From the elaborate feast of South Asia to the festive clothing of Nigeria and the African continent and the warm gatherings of the Middle East, Eid celebrations vary across cultures, showcasing the rich diversity of the Muslim world.
However, the underlining message of unity, gratitude and compassion remains universal.
Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf Arab states are celebrating the Eid al-Fitr holiday from today, but other Middle Eastern countries will not do so until Monday.
“The Supreme Court has decided that tomorrow, Sunday, March 30, 2025, is the first day of Eid al-Fitr,” the Saudi Royal Court said in a statement carried by official media.
The timing of the holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, in accordance with the Muslim lunar calendar.
The United Arab Emirates and Qatar also announced Sunday would be the first day of the holiday.
But neighbouring Oman and Jordan, as well as Shiite-majority Iran, said that Eid al-Fitr would not begin until Monday because the crescent moon had yet to be sighted. Egypt and other North African countries followed suit.
Lawyers representing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan have issued a fresh demand to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that their client must be served with the recall petition and all supporting documents within 24 hours.
In a letter addressed to the INEC Chairman, the legal team from J.S. Okutepa SAN & Co. reminded the commission that they had previously written on March 24 and March 25, 2025, requesting service of the petition.
However, they noted that no action had been taken.
“Several days have passed since our communication to your office on the urgency of the matter,” they stated, emphasising that withholding the petition could create “negative impressions in the minds of the public and affected persons, when this could easily have been avoided.”
Citing the case of Senator Dino Melaye & 7 Ors. Vs. Independent National Electoral Commission & 3 Ors. (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/567/2017), the lawyers stressed that for the recall process to proceed, INEC must serve the affected senator with the necessary documents.
“For a recall process to proceed, the 1st Defendant should serve on the 1st Plaintiff a copy of the petition, together with all the documents accompanying it,” they quoted from the ruling.
The legal team listed the required documents, including “the recall petition, the schedule of signatures attached to the petition, and the full list of persons in support of the recall process,” which were explicitly referenced in the petition.
According to the letter, failure to comply within 24 hours would be seen as an attempt to “undermine the fundamental right of our client to be served the petition said to have been received by your commission.”
“We hope that your commission is not allowing itself to be used in sabotage.
“We therefore reiterate, that you cause the said petition and all attachments to be served within 24 hours from the date of this letter,” the letter added, urging INEC to uphold fairness and due process.
The Rivers State Government has suspended all political office holders and appointees with immediate effect.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), listed the affected officers as follows:
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG)
The Chief of Staff
All Honourable Commissioners
Chairmen and members of boards, councils of agencies, commissions, institutions, and parastatals
All Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants
The statement further directed the suspended officials to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
In cases where no Permanent Secretary is in place, the most senior Director or Head of Administration is to take over.
This directive takes effect from Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
