Court mandates 6 banks to disclose Sowore’s account details in terrorism financing probe

Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday directed six financial institutions to provide the Inspector-General of Police with comprehensive account details and transaction records linked to Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, from January 2024 to the present.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order following an ex-parte motion by Wisdom Madaki, counsel for the Inspector-General, in a case alleging Sowore’s involvement in terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraudulent activities.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite stated, “Having reviewed the applicant’s submission and affidavit evidence, I find the application meritorious. The prayer is hereby granted as prayed.”

The motion, filed under case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025, named Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation as the first and second defendants, respectively, with United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd as the third to eighth defendants.

The Inspector-General requested “an order directing the banks to furnish the applicant, through the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, with account opening packages, mandate cards, and certified true copies of statements reflecting all transfers, inflows, and outflows from January 2024 to date.”

The motion argued that Sowore’s accounts are under scrutiny for suspected use in terrorism financing and money laundering, emphasizing that the information is critical to ongoing police investigations.

Bassey Ibrahim, a police officer from the Legal Section of the Force CID, stated in an affidavit, “Intelligence reports indicate that Sowore is using these accounts for terrorism financing, money laundering, and receiving financial support from foreign entities for terrorism.”

He stressed that securing the court order was essential to advance the investigation and that granting the request would not prejudice the respondents.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the investigation involves at least 26 bank accounts linked to Sowore, including those of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and the African Action Congress (AAC).

The court’s decision aims to facilitate the police probe into the alleged financial misconduct.