The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has declared support for the freezing of bank accounts linked to #EndSARS campaigners by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
On November 6, Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the request of the CBN to freeze the accounts of 19 individuals and a public affairs company linked to the #EndSARS protests.
According to the apex bank, the accounts are linked to terrorist activities, adding that there is an ‘urgent need’ to investigate the account holders.
However, in an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, Governor Akeredolu opined that there was nothing wrong with the actions of the CBN. He disclosed that the #EndSARS protesters were not being charged for a treasonable offence.
The governor stated that the freezing of the accounts is not a conclusion that those accounts were used for acts of treason. He asked those affected to go to court and seek redress if they feel their rights have been violated.
“Speaking very honestly, I don’t see anything wrong in it. If for instance, my account was frozen, what would I do? All I would do is go back to court to explain.”
“Even politicians, their accounts are sometimes frozen. You have to go to court and explain. And at the end of the day, the court will say, ‘Leave the account. The account should be de-frozen’ and you take your money back.,” the governor said.
