Newsie Events:-
Some #EndSARS promoters have accused the Federal Government of freezing their bank accounts, the Punch reports.
The promoters of the #EndSARS campaign disclosed that their banks informed them that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had directed that their accounts be frozen.
Some of the frontier and promoters of the protests has alleged that their accounts had been frozen for the past two weeks.
This is happening after Nigerian youths across the country engaged in a massive protest to demand the disbandment of SARS.
Special Anti-Robbery Squad was a unit under the Nigerian Police Force created to fight crimes like Armed robbery, banditry, Kidnapping, etc. But, the group allegedly left what it was created for and was terrorising the youths. Arbitrary killings and arrests were on the high side. Harassments, extortion, and intimidation become the order of the day, hence the massive protests.
According to PUNCH, the CBN reportedly instructed banks to place a ‘Post No Debit’ restriction on the accounts, and transactions that included the narration #EndSARS or End SARS were immediately flagged and frozen by banks.
Bassey Israel, a pharmacist, who was in charge of the #EndSARS medical team in Port Harcourt, said his account with Access Bank marked 003397XXXX had remained frozen since October 15.
He said, “I am in charge of End SARS medical team in Port Harcourt and we had people donating for medical supplies, food, water, ambulance services, and these donations were made directly into my account and of course these donations had End SARS descriptions so I think that was how they were able to flag my account. I noticed that on October 15, I was trying to make a debit transaction on my account and noticed that there was a restriction.
“So, I called the bank and I was told that there was indeed a restriction but I should go to any branch near me and when I did so, the branch manager sent a mail to the branch where I opened the account. The response to the mail was that there was a directive from the CBN to restrict the account.
“The lady was surprised and even asked me if I had any issue with the CBN and I responded that if I had any issue with the CBN, I wouldn’t be in the bank in the first place, I would be on the run. I asked what could be done and she gave me no answer. She had to show me the mail on her computer which I read. It was directly from the CBN and it read, ‘Place this account on PND.”
Another supporter and promoters of the #EndSARS movement, Feyikemi Abudu, also confirmed in a tweet that the accounts of several persons involved in the protests had been frozen.
The acting spokesman for the CBN, Abdulmumin Isa, is yet to comment on the issue after being contacted by PUNCH.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Immigration Service on Monday, October 1, seized the passport of Modupe Odele, one of the promoters and supporters of EndSARS, as they stopped her from traveling.
NEWSIE EVENTS MEDIA TEAM Follow Us On Twitter,Instagram & Facebook
@NewsieEvents,I.G newsieevents, Facebook Newsie Events