A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the temporary freezing of a Fidelity Bank account belonging to Mars Aviation Limited over alleged money laundering and suspicious transactions connected to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Justice Musa Liman issued the order after hearing an ex parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1299/2025, was filed on July 1 and presented by EFCC counsel, Geraldine Ofulue.
Ofulue informed the court that the account was under investigation for alleged criminal misappropriation and money laundering, urging the court to suspend all transactions pending the conclusion of the probe.
In his ruling delivered on September 22, Justice Liman held that the application had merit and consequently authorised the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, or any designated officer, to instruct Fidelity Bank’s managing director to freeze the account.
According to court documents, the account number 5250350283 (C03651082) is operated by Mars Aviation Limited.
In an affidavit supporting the motion, EFCC investigator Abdulganiyu Olayide stated that his team was directed to probe suspicious transactions after receiving intelligence that NNPCL had made several payments to Mars Aviation for “purported contracts” awarded in breach of the Procurement Act.
He further revealed that preliminary findings showed large sums were deposited into the company’s Fidelity Bank account through multiple transfers.
“Freezing the account is essential to preserve the funds and prevent further transactions while the investigation continues,” Olayide said.
Mars Aviation Limited is reportedly owned by Abdullahi Bashir Haske, founder and Group Managing Director of AA&R, who is married to a daughter of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
In August, the EFCC declared Haske wanted over allegations of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
