Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has transferred the case file in the money laundering allegations against former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, to the registry for reassignment.
The case, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1641/2025, was one of the vacation matters heard by Justice Nwite. On August 19, the judge granted EFCC’s request to temporarily freeze four Jaiz Bank accounts linked to Kyari, pending investigation, and adjourned to September 23 for a compliance report.
However, the matter, listed as number 10 on Tuesday’s cause list, was not taken, and no lawyer appeared. The file has now been returned to the registry, leaving Chief Judge John Tsoho to either reassign it to another judge or return it to Justice Nwite.
In its motion ex parte, EFCC alleged that over ₦661 million suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities was warehoused in Kyari’s accounts. Investigators said the inflows, traced to dealings with NNPC and oil companies, were disguised as proceeds from a book launch and activities of the Guwori Community Development Foundation.
The commission argued that freezing the accounts was necessary to preserve the funds pending the conclusion of investigations into alleged conspiracy, abuse of office, and money laundering. It claimed the accounts, though registered in Kyari’s name and linked NGOs, were controlled by him through family members acting as fronts.
The case originated from a petition by the Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law, prompting EFCC to seek bank records, CAC documents, and interviews with persons connected to the transactions.
