Former NNPC Limited Group CEO, Mele Kyari and EFCC logo
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has handed over the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) money laundering case against Mele Kyari to the court registry for reassignment.
Kyari, the former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), is under investigation over alleged financial crimes, including conspiracy, abuse of office, and money laundering.
On August 19, Justice Nwite—then sitting as a vacation judge—granted the EFCC’s request to temporarily freeze four bank accounts linked to Kyari at Jaiz Bank.
He subsequently scheduled September 23 for a compliance report from the commission.
However, when the matter, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1641/2025, came up on Tuesday, it was not heard.
The case appeared as item number 10 on the court’s cause list, but neither EFCC lawyers nor defence counsel were present.
Justice Nwite only handled judgments and rulings in five other matters and adjourned the remaining cases, including this one.
The EFCC’s case file, titled _“In The Matter Of An Application By The Executive Chairman of EFCC”,_ was among several vacation matters. Since the Federal High Court’s vacation officially ended on September 16, the matter must now be reassigned.
The Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, will determine whether it returns to Justice Nwite or goes to a different judge.
In its ex-parte motion dated August 8 and filed on August 11, the EFCC sought to freeze specific accounts belonging to Kyari and entities linked to him.
The commission argued the move was necessary to preserve suspected proceeds of unlawful activities pending the conclusion of its investigation.
According to court filings, the targeted accounts include:
Jaiz Bank account: 0017922724, name: Mele Kyari
Jaiz Bank account: 0018575055, name: Guwori Community Dev. Foundation
Jaiz Bank account: 0018575141, name: Guwori Community Dev. Foundation Flood Relief
A fourth undisclosed account
The EFCC maintained that Kyari used these accounts to launder funds through fronts, including family members, and disguised transactions as donations for book launches and NGO activities.
EFCC investigator Amin Abdullahi, in an affidavit supporting the motion, stated that a petition was received on April 24 from a civil society group, Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, prompting the investigation.
He noted: “Upon receipt of the petition… my team carried out several investigative activities which included seeking and obtaining bank records, corporate details from the CAC, and interviewing relevant persons.”
Abdullahi revealed that ₦661,464,601.50 was traced across the four accounts, which he described as “suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”
“The bank records revealed that these accounts are controlled and managed by Mr. Kyari through his family members who are acting as fronts,” he added.
The EFCC told the court it had already instructed Jaiz Bank to place a temporary no-debit order on the accounts, valid for 72 hours. But for a longer freeze to be effective, a court order was required.
The commission stated: “There is need to preserve the funds in the identified bank accounts pending the conclusion of investigation and possible prosecution.”
It is now up to the Chief Judge to reassign the matter for further judicial action.
