A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an order for the Department of State Services (DSS) to freeze 20 bank accounts linked to Aisha Abdulkarim, a suspected female terrorist.
The accounts, which are spread across eight different banks, are to remain frozen for 60 days, allowing the DSS to conduct a thorough forensic investigation into Abdulkarim’s alleged involvement in terrorist activities
The order to freeze the bank accounts was issued by Justice Peter Lifu after the DSS presented an ex-parte application before the court.
The DSS argued that the freezing of these accounts was essential to gain unrestricted access to the financial records and transactions of Abdulkarim, which they believe could provide crucial evidence in their investigation.
The DSS had initially requested a 90-day freeze on the accounts, but Justice Lifu reduced this period to 60 days.
The judge emphasised the importance of conducting the investigation diligently and within the time frame granted by the court.
“The court has granted a 60-day freeze on these accounts to allow the DSS to conduct a forensic investigation into the allegations of terrorism,” a legal representative from the DSS said.
“We intend to use this time to meticulously analyze the financial activities associated with these accounts to uncover any links to terrorism.“
Aisha Abdulkarim is not the only individual under investigation in this case.
The DSS has also linked two other individuals, Yehusa Idris and Abdullahi Babayo Umar, to the alleged terrorist activities.
Both men are currently in DSS custody as part of the ongoing investigation.
The exact nature of the terrorist activities in question has not been disclosed by the DSS, but sources within the agency suggest that the suspects may have been involved in financing or facilitating operations for a terrorist group operating within or outside Nigeria.
The freezing of the accounts is seen as a critical step in tracing the flow of funds that may have been used to support these activities.
The court order granted by Justice Lifu is based on the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022, which empowers security agencies to take decisive action against individuals and entities suspected of supporting terrorism.
Under sections 5 and 81 of the Act, the DSS has the authority to request the freezing of bank accounts that are believed to be connected to terrorist activities.
In recent years, Nigeria has faced significant challenges from various terrorist organizations, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
