Strong indications have emerged to show the Federal Government had begun a clampdown on promoters of #EndSARS protests by freezing their bank accounts.
Several #EndSARS promoters told PUNCH they were informed by their banks that the Central Bank of Nigeria had directed that their accounts should be frozen.
Multiple sources told the newspaper that the CBN instructed banks to place a ‘Post No Debit ’ restriction on their accounts after flagging transactions that included EndSARS in the description.
In October, protesters stormed the streets of Lagos, Abuja and several other places to demand an end to police brutality with the hasthtag EndSARS. The protest grounded economic activities in Lagos after about two weeks.
A pharmacist Bassey Israel who was in charge of the #EndSARS medical team in Port Harcourt said his account with Access Bank marked 003397 XXXX had remained frozen since October 15.
“The lady (branch manager) 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,’” he said.
The newspaper said it could not reach the acting CBN spokesman Abdulmumin Isa for comments.
The development follows the restriction placed on a lawyer and #EndSARS promoter Modupe Odele from leaving the country.
Odele had raised alarm on Monday that she attempted to fly to the Maldives on Sunday but her passport was seized by immigration officers.
She tweeted on Tuesday: “Hello people, I went to retrieve my passport today but was told this: ‘We cannot release your passport because you are still under investigation.’
“As of now, I’m not aware of any charges against me or what I am under investigation for.”
Soon, there were reports the Federal Ministry of Interior had generated a ‘no fly list’ to bar #EndSARS campaigners from travelling, but the ministry denied the allegation.
