Court Orders Immediate Release Of Skye Bank Manager By EFCC

EFCC To Release Chairman Of Collapsed Skye Bank, Ayeni, Finally

A Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, in Maitama, has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately release the detained Chairman of the defunct Skye Bank, Tunde Ayeni.

This followed an enforcement of fundamental rights suit filed by Ayeni, through his counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), seeking his release from the EFCC custody.

The court set aside an earlier order it granted the EFCC to detain Ayeni for 14 days.

The trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, in his ruling today, held that the anti-graft agency had suppressed facts which misled the court into earlier granting the application, thereby, making the detention illegal.

The EFCC had last week, approached the court through an ex-parte application, seeking a 14-day remand order of Ayeni.

The commission had premised the request for a remand on a need to investigate a petition submitted by the Office of the Vice President in respect of his alleged roles as the Chairman of the defunct Skye Bank.

The court then granted the said ex-parte application.

Ayeni had, however, approached the Court to challenge the order and prayed that same be set aside.

Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had, some months ago revoked the licence of Skye Bank Nigeria Plc, and changed its name to Polaris Bank , an improvised take over of the bank.

Ayeni was the chairman of the bank from 2010 to 2016 when he was removed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He was accused of wrecking the bank, Naija News reports.