A federal high court sitting in Abuja has granted an interim order to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to freeze four cryptocurrency wallets worth $37 million over allegations of money laundering.
The order was granted by Justice Emeka Nwite on August 8, while a ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the EFCC. The anti-graft commission applied for an order to freeze total crypto assets valued at USDT 37,061,867,869.3
Based on the document, the commission sought to freeze a total of 37,061,867,869.3 domiciled in four crypto wallets. According to the EFCC, the assets are proceeds of money laundering and terrorism financing. The identity of wallet owners were however not revealed by the EFCC in their motion.
In the certified true copy of the ruling, Justice Nwite stated: “That an order of this honourable court is hereby made freezing the wallet addresses/accounts stated in the schedule below, which wallets are owned by individuals currently being investigated for offences of money laundering and terrorism financing, pending the conclusion of the investigation.”
There are strong indications that the crypto wallets belong to some major organisers and financiers of the just concluded #EndBackGovernanceProtest as well as other subservient agenda in Nigeria.