Polaris Bank staff re-arrested by EFCC in heated courtroom standoff

Operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Mr. Chinenye Duru, an employee of Polaris Bank, at a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.

The arrest occurred shortly after Justice Inyang Ekwo postponed a fraud case—brought by the Inspector-General of Police against Polaris Bank Plc and Duru—until May 14 for further consideration.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Inspector-General had filed an 11-count money laundering case (FHC/ABJ/CR/603/2023) naming Polaris Bank and Duru—an account officer connected to Mr. Victor Onukogu, also known as “Daddy Hezekiah” and the spiritual head of Living Christ Mission Church in Onitsha, Anambra—as the first and second defendants.

In the first count, it was alleged that between November 17, 2017, and August 14, 2023, Polaris Bank and Duru fraudulently withdrew N16 billion and N500 million from Onukogu Victor Hezekiah’s accounts (numbers 1040495455 and 1060104735) in breach of Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Other counts include allegations of a fraudulent withdrawal of N75.534 million from account number 4010023601, N13.3 million from Hezekiah University’s account number 40910106770, and N16.3 million from another Hezekiah University account (411054152), all without the necessary authorization.

Earlier in the proceedings, O. S. Kara—appearing for the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF)—informed the court that after reviewing the case, the AGF had withdrawn the charge.

Mr. Chidi Ezenwafor, representing Duru, contested this move, arguing that the withdrawal was a maneuver intended to re-arrest his client.

Ezenwafor pointed out that Duru, who was originally detained for about two months following his 2023 arrest, had been released by court order.

He subsequently applied in response to the AGF’s request, and Justice Ekwo directed both parties to file their applications, adjourning the matter until May 14.

The situation escalated when, after Duru and his family exited Court 5, EFCC operatives—waiting outside attempted to apprehend him again, causing Duru to retreat back into the courtroom.

Although Justice Ekwo was occupied with another matter, his security detail intervened to prevent the EFCC from effecting an in-court arrest. Duru’s lawyer immediately alerted the judge, and Ezenwafor reiterated that the EFCC’s actions, which he described as contempt of court and sacrilegious given the pending case, affirmed his earlier concerns.

In response, Justice Ekwo ordered Duru to remain seated and instructed that any future arrest be conducted through a formal summons rather than on court premises. Even after the judge had concluded the session, EFCC officers attempted to engage Duru inside the courtroom, but court security ensured that he was not removed.

Despite the judge’s intervention, NAN reports that some EFCC operatives maintained their presence on the third floor of the high-rise building housing Court 5.