Richard Ginika Izuora
The Senate on Monday, November 9, denied knowledge of the freezing of the accounts of suspected EndSARS campaigners by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
According to the Senate, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele never wrote to it before taking the action as they only read about it on the pages of newspapers just like other Nigerians.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the senator representing Ekiti Central Federal Constituency, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, made this revelation when the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, (SAN), appeared before the committee, to defend the ministry’s 2021 budget estimates.
Bamidele further confirmed the Senate was awaiting further information on the issue of freezing the accounts of the EndSARS campaigners; from the apex bank as they were not aware of it and the circumstances that led to the freezing.
“We are not aware of the CBN freezing the accounts of #EndSARS campaigners. We read it in the news like everyone else.
“Our committee is interested in knowing what is going on in this regard. Our committee is neither in a position to either explain or defend the CBN’s action,” Bamidele said.
The Senator noted that the legislature would liaise with the executive to know what was going on; and find a lasting solution to it.
“We will reach out to the executive. If it is true, we would find out what the stakeholders in charge are trying to achieve with this,” he added.