EFCC Freezes Account Linked To Former Governor Ambode

The sum of N9.9bn belonging to the Lagos State government but linked to former Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has been frozen, following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, today gave the order.

The EFCC asked that the court freezes the account pending the time investigations and possible prosecution of Adewale Adesanya, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Chief of Staff to Ambode are concluded.

The applicant, EFCC, in an affidavit deposed to by Kungmi Daniel, an operative of the Commission, stated that there was “a huge inflow of ₦9,927,714,443.29” 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.

The statement revealed that he schedule of the FCMB account showed how Adesanya and other signatories had done transfers suspected to be fraudulent from the accounts of the Lagos State Government and dissipated the funds housed in the said accounts.

In his submission, 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)”.

Abbas, then prayed the court to grant an order to temporarily attach and take over the accounts to enable it conclude its investigations.

“There have been concerted efforts and attempts to dissipate the contents of the accounts listed in the schedule to this application.

“Without freezing the nominated accounts and temporarily forfeiting the money to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, there is no way the fraud being perpetrated using the scheduled accounts can be stopped,” he further told the court.

Consequently, Justice Obiozor granted the prayers of the counsel to the Commission.

The Judge adjourned further proceedings to September 9, 2019.