EFCC Freezes Accounts Linked to Ex-Gov. Ambode over Alleged N9.9bn Fraud

EFCC

EFCC Freezes Accounts Linked to Ex-Gov. Ambode over
Alleged N9.9bn Fraud

Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in
Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, ordered the freezing of
the sum of N9.9bn belonging to the Lagos State government.

The funds are domiciled in First City Monument Bank, FCMB,
account number 5617984012; Access Bank account number 0060949275
and Zenith Bank account number 1011691254, respectively.

Justice Chuka Obiozor gave the order, following an ex-parte
application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC.

The EFCC had prayed the court to freeze the account pending the
conclusion of investigation and possible prosecution of Adewale
Adesanya, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Chief of
Staff to former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

The applicant, EFCC, in an affidavit deposed to by Kungmi
Daniel, an operative of the Commission, stated that there was “a
huge inflow of N9,927,714,443.29” from the state accounts into an
FCMB bank account opened on September 17, 2018 during the
administration of the immediate past governor of the state,
Akinwunmi Ambode, and operated by Adesanya.

It was further stated that the schedule of the FCMB account
showed how Adesanya and other signatories to the account made
fraudulent transfer from the accounts of the Lagos State Government
and dissipated the funds housed in the said accounts.

In his submission, counsel to the EFCC, Mohammed Abbas, said
“The trend in the account is that the account always witnessed huge
inflow from Lagos State Government in the above scheduled accounts
managed by the respondent (Adesanya)”.

Abbas, therefore, prayed the court to grant an order to
temporarily attach and take over the accounts to enable it conclude
its investigations.

“There have been concerted efforts and attempts to dissipate the
contents of the accounts listed in the schedule to this
application.

“Without freezing the nominated accounts and temporarily
forfeiting the money to the Government of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, there is no way the fraud being perpetrated using the
scheduled accounts can be stopped,” he further told the court.

Consequently, Justice Obiozor granted the prayers of the counsel
to the Commission.

The Judge adjourned further proceedings to September 9,
2019.

Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
August 6, 2019