By Adesina Soyooye
Human Rights Activist, Lawyer, Politician and Publisher of the popular Online SaharaReporters, Omoleye Sowore sensed it. He had an inkling of the new troubles ahead of him.
A couple of days ago, he had disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, was on the verge of having details of his bank accounts forwarded to him.
When he raised the alarm, quite a number of people dismissed it. They thought Sowore was just talking. Their reason was simple. Sowere has been having a running battle with IGP Egbetokun for months on end. He does not recognise Egbetokun as the IGP. He addresses him as an “illegal IGP”. Egbetokun’s tenure as IGP had ordinarily expired. But President Bola Tinubu, acting on a sudden new recommendation of the National Assembly, extended Egbetokun’s tenure by four years, almost. And that irks Sowore.
Sowore has been in and out of Police detention for a number of times. He had also been arraigned in Court by the Police a couple of times But that has not deterred him from his stand on the IGP.
Fresh from arrest and detention by the Police recently, Sowore and the IGP are again in a fresh battle.
The Nigerian Police which Egbetokun leads seems set to cripple Sowore financially, even if temporarily. Egbetokun has approached a Federal High Court, seeking to be furnished with six bank accounts which have links to Sowore. Why? The IGP is slamming Sowore with allegations of sponsorship of terrorism in the country, money laundering and more. Apparently, the IGP wants to know the source of Sowore’s funds with which he has continously bitten the Federal Government hike a very stubborn mosquitoe.
On Tuesday, 26th August, the Honourable Justice Emeka Nwite granted the IGP’s request. Nwite ordered six banks to go ahead with the IGP’s request. This would include all documents related to the accounts as well as all transactions – inflows and outflows – beginning from January 2024 to date.
Nwite granted the request and gave the order after
Wisdom Madaki, Counsel to the IGP, moved an ex-parte motion to the effect.
In the motion, the IGP, through Madaki, told the Court that Sowore, is under investigation on allegations which bordered on financing terrorism, money laundering and other fraudulent activities.
Justice Nwite found the motion meritorious and so, granted it. The Judge said:
“I have listened to the submission of the Counsel to the applicant and I have also gone through the affidavit evidence. I am of the view, and so hold that the application is meritorious. The prayer is hereby granted as prayed.”
In the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025, the IGP had sued Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation as 1st and 2nd defendants, and joined
the following Banks as defendants : 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 3rd to 8th defendants respectively.
Egbetokun, also, sought “an order directing the following banks; UBA Plc, GTB plc, ZENITH Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Limited, Moniepoint and Kuda Microfinance Bank Limited to furnish him, through the office of the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit account opening package/mandate card, certified true copy of the statement of account reflecting transfers with account numbers of both inflows and outflows from January, 2024 till date.”
In the five-ground argument, the IGP said Sowore “is being investigated for terrorism financing, money laundering and fraudulent activities.
“That the complainant had commenced investigation in the activities of the 1st respondent.
“That the accounts seeking to obtain the statement of accounts are the accounts which the 1st respondent is using for terrorism financing and money laundering.
The applicant convinced the Judge of the need need to grant the relief sought for the purpose of investigation and emphasisedvthat if the order was not granted, it would jeopardise the police investigation.
Bassey Ibrahim, a police officer in the Legal Section, Force CID, in the affidavit attached to the motion, alleged that his office received intelligent report that Sowore “is using the accounts for terrorism financing, money laundering and receives financial support from foreign partner for terrorism.”
He posited the need for the police to secure the order of the court to obtain the statements of the accounts to enable the office carry out investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities of the suspects.
“That the respondents will not be prejudiced or indemnified by the grant of this application.
“That I swear to this affidavit in good faith believing the content to be true and correct in accordance with the provision of the Oath Act, 2024.”
About 26 bank accounts linked to Sowore, Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and African Action Congress, which Presidential Candidate Sowore was in the 2023 General Elections are under investigation.
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