Banire faults CBN’s freezing of #EndSARS protesters account via court order

Former National Legal Adviser of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Muiz Banire, on Wednesday faulted the freezing of #EndSARS Protesters’ bank accounts.

Banire speaking on Channels Television programme, Politics Today, was of the view that the court order was flawed, noting that it did not administer justice.

Banire had declared: “In my very strong view, the order is flawed. The order granted by the judge to enable the Central Bank of Nigeria to carry out inquiry and investigation, how will you freeze somebody’s account and then go back to investigation and conduct inquiry?

“I am sure it is a case of putting the cart before the horse. Beyond that itself, the law does not even say that. What the law says is that even where you do so, you must investigate the matter through the Nigerian Police or any of the security agencies.”

Considering an alternative to the Federal Government action of freezing the accounts of the #EndSARS protesters, Banire advocated trust-building between the citizens, the government and security operatives.

The former APC National Legal Adviser acknowledged the statement of President Muhammadu Buhari in October on the rights to protest, he admonished the Buhari administration to go beyond accepting the demands of the protesting youths to implement the demands.

Banire stated: “My expectation is that the Federal Government as promised by the President in his speech should have just gone ahead, engage them in respect of the five demands of the youths.

“Beyond that also, the government should try to build confidence in these youths. The truth of the matter is that Nigerians generally tend not to trust the government in anything.

“In a situation like this when the youths come out to say ‘look we do not trust you,’ the least that we can do in the post protest time should have been to engage them to put this trust.”

Banire noted a Federal High Court in Abuja presided by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, granted the request of the Central Bank of Nigeria in a suit filed on October 20 to freeze the bank accounts of 19 citizens and a public affairs company linked to the #EndSARS protests.

It was highlighted that the victims of the bank account freezing include Bolatito Racheal Oduala, Chima David Ibebunjoh, Mary Doose Kpengwa, Saadat Temitope Bibi, Bassey Victor Israel, Wisdom Busaosowo Obi, Nicholas Ikhalea Osazele, Ebere Idibie, Akintomide Lanre Yusuf, Uhuo Ezenwanyi Promise and Mosopefoluwa Odeseye, Adegoke Pamilerin Yusif. Umoh Grace Ekanem, Babatunde Victor Segun, Mulu Louis Teghenan, Mary Oshifowora, Winifred Akpevweoghene Jacob, Victor Solomon, Idunu A. Williams, and Gatefield Nigeria Limited.

He called on the federal government to handle the #EndSARS movement with caution.