Court unfreezes bank accounts of #ENDSARS campaigners after 3 months

The court has ordered that all affected accounts be defreeze with immediate effect.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has removed a controversial freeze order placed last year on the bank accounts of 20 #EndSARS campaigners.

Hundreds of Nigerians had peacefully protested in many states across the country in October 2020 to demand an end to years of wanton police brutality.

Many of the campaigners for the demonstrations raised funds to bankroll sustenance, medical emergencies, and legal aid for the protesters.

This led the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to freeze the accounts of 20 such campaigners in October, before securing a court order in November.

The order was initially set for a period of 90 days pending the outcome of investigation, after which an extension could be requested.

During a resumed hearing regarding the order on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, the CBN resolved to withdraw all the processes filed before the court, prompting Justice Ahmed Mohammed to order that all accounts be defreeze.

The CBN said it was withdrawing all processes in the spirit of reconciliation, but the apex bank last year accused the campaigners of suspected terrorism funding.

The bank's governor, Godwin Emefiele, argued that the transactions through the accounts could cause significant economic and security harm to the country if left unchecked.

Justice Mohammed granted the order on November 5, a ruling that was met with public outrage.

The banks ordered to freeze the accounts of the #EndSARS campaigners are Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Zenith Bank, and United Bank for Africa (UBA).

Below is a full list of account owners affected by the court order: