On Tuesday, the Abuja Federal High Court ruled that six banks must give the Inspector-General of Police account records and complete transaction information, including inflows and outflows, related to Omoyele Sowore from January 2024 onward.
Wisdom Madaki, the attorney for the IGP, filed an ex parte motion to that effect, and Justice Emeka Nwite issued the ruling.
The IG said in the motion that Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, is being investigated for possible money laundering, fraud, and terrorism financing.
The African Action Congress and the Sahara Reporters Media Foundation are among the 26 bank accounts connected to Sowore that are reportedly being investigated.
The IG named Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation as the first and second defendants in the ex parte action with the filing number FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025.
Additionally, as the third and eighth defendants, respectively, the applicant joined United Bank for Africa Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd.
Through the office of the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit, the IGP requested “an order directing the following banks: UBA Plc, GTB Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd to furnish the applicant with the account opening package/mandate card and certified true copies of statements of account reflecting transfers and account numbers of both inflows and outflows from January 2024 to date.”
Sowore “is being investigated for terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraudulent activities,” according to the IGP’s five grounds of argument.
“That the complainant has started looking into the first respondent’s actions.”
“That the first respondent is using the accounts for which the statements are sought to finance terrorism and launder money.”
The petitioner additionally contended that denial would compromise the process and that the requested remedy was required to support police investigations.
Bassey Ibrahim, a police officer in the Force CID’s Legal Section, claimed in an affidavit attached to the motion that his office had intelligence reports on Sowore “using the accounts for terrorism financing, money laundering, and to receive financial support from foreign partners for terrorism.”
Ibrahim claimed that in order for the police to look into the respondents’ alleged fraudulent acts, they needed to seek the court’s order in order to obtain the account statements.
“That the grant of this application will not prejudice or indemnify the respondents,” he continued. That, in good faith, and in compliance with the terms of the Oaths Act, 2024, I certify that the information contained in this affidavit is truthful and accurate.
According to Justice Nwite’s decision, the application had merit.
“I have seen the affidavit evidence and heard the comments made by the applicant’s attorney. I believe that the application is worthy, and I hold this opinion. The judge declared, “The prayer is hereby granted as prayed.”
