Fayose Withdraws N5m From Accounts Court Ordered EFCC To Unfreeze

Governor of Ekiti State Ayodele Fayose stormed a Zenith Bank branch in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday to withdraw N5 million from his accounts which were unfrozen following an order from a Federal High Court.

The accounts were frozen on June 21 over suspicion that the money found in them was proceeds of financial crime.

A court had ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision (EFCC) to freeze the two accounts belonging to the governor, but a suit was filed on June 26 challenging the order.

The anti-graft agency is said to not have followed due process.

Fayose arrived the bank premises located on Onigari-Secretariat Road junction in the state capital, and was there between 1:20 p.m. and 3: 20 p.m. on Thursday.

He served the copies of the court judgement ordering EFCC and Zenith Bank to immediately unfreeze the accounts on the branch manager, Mojeed Adekunle to effect the withdrawal.

Adekunle told the governor that his bank had received a copy of the judgement and would obey the order.

Thereafter, the process to release the cash began after Fayose submitted a cheque already written.

He then later emerged with two black cellophane bags containing the N5 million he withdrew from the accounts.

fayose

 

While Fayose was inside, a large crowd of residents milled around the bank while some customers were temporarily denied entry by bank security officials before they were later allowed in.

Mobile and regular policemen and outriders and journalists who accompanied Fayose stood outside the bank and their presence attracted residents’ attention.

Speaking with journalists after he had collected his cash, Fayose accused the EFCC of “rascality.”

He said: “I came to the bank after serving them with the court order and I made up my mind that I won’t leave the bank until my money is given to me. And the bank has done the needful by giving me part of the money confirming that they have obeyed the court order.

I want to thank Nigerians and my supporters for believing in our cause that Nigerians should not be oppressed. The rascality of EFCC must stop. And I want to thank the EFCC for obeying the court order.”