EFCC freezes N9.9bn bank accounts linked to former Lagos State Governor, Ambode.

Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, had ordered the EFCC to freeze the N9.9bn accounts linked to the immediate Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode.

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 their investigation and possible prosecution of Adewale Adesanya, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Chief of Staff to former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

The EFCC, in an affidavit deposed to by an operative of the Commission, Kungmi Daniel, 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 transfers from the accounts of the Lagos State Government and dissipated the funds housed in the said accounts.

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

Justice Obiozor granted the prayers of the counsel to the Commission.
Thereafter, Judge Obiozor adjourned further proceedings to September 9, 2019.