Frozen Accounts: Gov Akeredolu Advises #EndSARS Protesters To Go To Court |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, on Wednesday, said those whose accounts were linked to the $EndSARS  protest, and frozen by the apex bank, (CBN) need not fear. He has advised them to approach the Court and seek redress.

Once there is merit in their case, according to him, the same law court will unfreeze the frozen accounts.

The Governor advised those affected by the action of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Central Bank (CBN) to challenge the matter in court if they feel their accounts were unlawfully frozen or same were unjustifiably breached.

A statement by the commissioner for information, Mr Donald Ojogo said Akeredolu, made the remarks while speaking on  a  Channels television programme, Sunrise, Wednesday morning.

Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum pointed out that, even though the CBN acted in line with the provisions of the law to freeze the accounts, the owners of the account have a right to challenge the decision too in Court.

He noted that those affected by the action of the apex bank have a right to expose the necessity or otherwise and even to repudiate the accusations slammed against them by the CBN as frivolous and unfair.

“Speaking very honestly, I don’t see anything wrong in it. If for instance, my account was frozen, what would I do? All I would do is go back to court to explain. The #EndSARS promoters should do that.

“Even politicians, their accounts are sometimes frozen. You have to go to court and explain. And at the end of the day, the court will say, ‘Leave the account. The account should be de-frozen’ and you take your money back.

“If your account is frozen, you justify why the money was there. You come to explain to what use you have put this money.

“If it is that okay, we used this money to pay this caterer to give food to these boys when they were there, it will be explained, people will know and the accounts will be de-frozen.

“It is just that we (CBN) suspected this account then the owner of the account will explain; it is not a conclusion that those accounts were used for acts of treason.” the governor said.

The CBN surprisingly got the nod of the Court to freeze the accounts of some youths connected to the #EndSARS protests,  and shockingly alleging terrorism against such persons. A few of the Youths are still in detention. The action of the CBN has earned not a few criticisms nationwide.

The Youths had embarked on a nationwide protest against Police brutality, especially, the SARS. The protest sadly turned violent when it was hijacked by hoodlums. The consequence resulted in deaths and monumental destruction and arson of both private and public properties.