#EndSARS: Owners of frozen accounts should explain use of funds in court – Akeredolu

 

BY AYO ESAN

GOVERNOR Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, on Wednesday, expressed optimism that the same law court that froze the accounts of suspected sponsors of #EndSARS protests would unfreeze them.

Akeredolu also advised those affected by the action of the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, to challenge the matter in court if they felt their accounts were unlawfully frozen.

“If your account is frozen, you justify why the money was there. You come to explain to what use you have put this money,” he said.

Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum, said, even though the apex bank acted in line with the provisions of the law in freezing the accounts, the owners of the accounts should approach the court to challenge the decision.

According to him, those affected by the action of the CBN have a right to challenge the accusations slammed against them as frivolous and unfair.

The Governor was a guest on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily programme.

He said, “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. The #EndSARS promoters should do that.

“Even for 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.

“If it is that ‘okay, we used this money to pay this caterer to give food to these boys when they were there; we spent money before the hoodlums took over,’ it will be explained, people will know and the accounts will be de-frozen.”

“The CBN only suspected the accounts and the owners should explain; it is not a conclusion that those accounts were used for acts of treason.” he said.