Court Orders Banks to Release Sowore’s Account Records to Police

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered six commercial banks to provide the Inspector-General of Police with the full account details and transaction records of Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, covering the period from January 2024 to date.

Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order after hearing an ex parte motion filed by the IGP’s counsel, Wisdom Madaki.

According to the police, Sowore is being investigated for alleged terrorism financing, money laundering, and other fraudulent activities. At least 26 bank accounts reportedly linked to him—including those operated by Sahara Reporters Media Foundation and the African Action Congress—are said to be under scrutiny.

The motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1757/2025, listed Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation as the 1st and 2nd respondents. The banks joined in the case include United Bank for Africa Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd, as 3rd to 8th respondents.

The police had prayed the court for “an order directing UBA Plc, GTB Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Opay Digital Services Ltd, Moniepoint, and Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd to furnish the applicant, through the IGP Monitoring Unit, with the account opening package/mandate card and certified true copies of statements of account reflecting transfers and account numbers of both inflows and outflows from January 2024 to date.”

In a supporting affidavit, Bassey Ibrahim of the Force CID Legal Section claimed that intelligence reports linked the accounts to terrorism financing and laundering of funds, including alleged financial backing from foreign partners. He argued that obtaining the account records was crucial for ongoing investigations.

Delivering his ruling, Justice Nwite said:

“I have listened to the submissions of 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.”