The Department of State Services (DSS) has obtained a Federal High Court order to freeze 20 bank accounts associated with suspected female terrorist Aisha Abdulkarim.
The accounts, held in eight different banks, are to remain frozen for 60 days to allow the DSS to conduct forensic investigations into the alleged terrorist activities of Abdulkarim.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the freezing order following an ex-parte application submitted by the DSS.
The application, argued by DSS lawyer Yunus Ishaku Umar, aimed to provide investigators with unrestricted access to the eight banks involved.
In addition to Abdulkarim, Yehusa Idris and Abdullahi Babayo Umar are also implicated in the case and have been taken into custody following their arrests in various locations.
The accounts are distributed across Opay Digital Services Limited, Access Bank, United Bank for Africa, Guaranty Trust Bank, Union Bank of Nigeria, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, and First City Monument Bank.
Specifically, Access Bank and Moniepoint each hold five accounts, Opay has four, UBA two, and GTB, First Bank, Union Bank, and FCMB each have one.
Despite the DSS’s request for a 90-day freeze, Justice Lifu granted only 60 days, urging the agency to expedite its investigation.
The judge emphasized that while the suspects are presumed innocent, they should not face undue hardship from the account freeze during the investigation.
