(DDM) – The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed six banks to furnish the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, with detailed financial records of activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore.
DDM gathered that Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Tuesday following an ex-parte motion filed by the IGP’s counsel, Wisdom Madaki.
The ruling mandates the banks to provide account opening packages, mandate cards, and certified copies of transaction statements covering inflows and outflows from January 2024 to date.
The banks affected by the order include United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd.
Justice Nwite stated that he found the application meritorious after reviewing the affidavit and submissions made by the police counsel.
“I have listened to the submission of the counsel to the applicant, and I have also gone through the affidavit evidence. I hold that the application is meritorious. The prayer is hereby granted as prayed,” the judge ruled.
The IGP argued that Sowore is under investigation for alleged terrorism financing, money laundering, and fraudulent activities, with the financial records expected to aid police inquiries.
Bassey Ibrahim, a police officer from the Legal Section of the Force CID, swore an affidavit claiming intelligence reports linked Sowore’s accounts to foreign funding and financial transactions allegedly tied to terrorism financing.
Ibrahim maintained that obtaining the bank statements was essential for a thorough investigation, insisting that the respondents would not suffer prejudice from the court order.
Court filings revealed that Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation were named as the first and second defendants, respectively, while the banks were listed as the third to eighth defendants.
The ruling follows Sahara Reporters’ recent exposés on alleged promotion scandals and internal corruption within the Nigeria Police Force, which sources say angered IGP Egbetokun and top officers.
Sowore has repeatedly accused the police leadership of harassment and politically motivated investigations, citing recent summons, prolonged detentions, and attempts to pressure him into a so-called “peace deal” to halt his media reports.
Observers note that at least 26 accounts linked to Sowore, Sahara Reporters, and the African Action Congress (AAC) are now reportedly under investigation.
Legal analysts warn that the case could spark a major free-press and human rights debate, given Sowore’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s most vocal critics of corruption and police abuse.
