Court to rule on de-freezing Nyako’s account June 22

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday reserved ruling on the application filed by Abdulaziz Nyako, praying the court to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to de-freeze his bank accounts, for June 22.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole had reserved the date after listening to arguments from the parties involved in the matter.The applicant and son of former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, is standing trial alongside his father on alleged missing N15 billion belonging to the State.

Arguing the application, Counsel to the Applicant, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, said the EFCC had frozen the accounts without a valid Court order since 2014.

He said: “My Lord, the anti-graft body has violated sections 28 and 29 of its own Act by not approaching the Court to secure the rights to freeze and sieze the applicant’s bank accounts and property respectively.

“Those provisions are creation of the law and if that be the case, we urge the Court to declare the action illegal.“It is however clear that the EFCC is visiting my client with an alleged act of his father”.

But Counsel to EFCC, Mr. Abdullahi Ringim, prayed the Court to discountenance Ogungbeje’s submission, adding that the respondent had a blanket right to freeze bank accounts under investigation.Ringim said the accounts were constantly being investigated.

The Prosecution also believed that if the application was granted, the purpose of the pending charge would be defeated. He added that the ex-governor’s son should not be allowed to profit from the alleged proceeds of fraud.

Abdulaziz, his father and two others, are standing trial over a 37-count charge bordering on corruption and money laundering.When the charges were read to them, they however pleaded not guilty.