Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has lifted freezing orders placed on the bank accounts of four defendants allegedly connected to a police investigation into a 2023 ₦21 billion system glitch.

The judge also faulted the police for failing to disclose important information when they obtained the earlier freezing order through an ex parte application.

The case is part of a wider investigation involving banks and financial institutions over billions of naira allegedly withdrawn from a Flutterwave account held at Wema Bank.

According to court documents, the disputed transactions occurred between October 12 and 13, 2023, following a system glitch on the Flutterwave platform.

The four defendants, through their lawyers, asked the court to cancel the restrictions placed on their accounts. They argued that the police had failed to disclose material facts required by law when seeking the freezing order.

They also pointed out that another Federal High Court had previously discharged similar restrictions placed on their accounts.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that a court order cannot remain in force where it was obtained on the basis of materially incomplete information.

The judge agreed that the circumstances presented by the defendants justified setting aside the earlier orders because the police had failed to disclose a previous ruling that had already removed the restrictions.

“The Court therefore finds that the failure to disclose the order of 2nd April 2026, which had discharged and lifted the restrictions affecting the Applicants’ accounts, constituted a material non-disclosure in the circumstances of the ex parte application.

“The subsequent procurement of an order imposing substantially similar restrictions without first disclosing and addressing the earlier order cannot be permitted to stand,” Nwite said.

Justice Nwite subsequently ruled that “the ex-parte Order made by the Court on 2nd June 2026, together with all consequential directives issued pursuant thereto, is hereby set aside and vacated.”

As a result, the court ordered the removal of all freezing orders, restrictions, liens, Post-No-Debit instructions and other encumbrances imposed on the accounts and properties of the four defendants under the June 2 order.

The Inspector General of Police had previously said that investigators arrested some suspected Point-of-Sale (PoS) agents allegedly involved in fraudulent transactions linked to the incident.

The police subsequently commenced investigations and legal proceedings against those suspected of involvement.

In a counter-affidavit filed before Justice Nwite, the police maintained that the four defendants “are among those whose accounts receive volumes of money from the incident that happened on the Flutterwave platform.”

However, lawyers representing the defendants argued that an earlier order issued by Justice Liman had already unfrozen their accounts and remained “valid” because it had not been appealed.

The lawyers accused the police of abusing the judicial process and engaging in forum shopping by seeking another order imposing similar restrictions without first disclosing the earlier decision.

The latest ruling therefore removes the restrictions on the four accounts while the broader legal dispute surrounding the alleged ₦21 billion system glitch and the transactions linked to it continues.

Four members of the same family have died after a three-storey building collapsed in Popo Giwa, Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred at about 5am at No. 41 Popo Giwa Street, beside Gogoro Mosque. Eight members of the family were initially trapped beneath the rubble.

An eyewitness, Abdulganiy Musa, told Channels Television during the rescue operation that the father of the family is a serving soldier, while the mother works as a casual staff member at the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies in Ilorin.

Emergency responders immediately began efforts to reach those trapped inside the collapsed structure. One of the victims, a child identified as Firdaus, who was the second-to-last born of the family, was rescued alive.

An excavator was later brought to the scene to help remove the heavy debris and give rescuers better access to the remaining victims.

Several emergency and security agencies participated in the operation, while ambulances were deployed to transport survivors to the hospital for treatment.

The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed that the collapse resulted in fatalities and injuries.

Its Public Relations Officer, Hassan Adekunle, said the agency received a distress call around 5am reporting that a building had collapsed with people trapped underneath.

“We immediately mobilised to the scene and commenced the rescue operation. This kind of situation is not something the fire service can handle alone,” Adekunle said, adding that officials of the Hospitals Management Board, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other emergency agencies joined the rescue operation.

He explained that officials were also working to establish what caused the collapse and assess the condition of the remaining structure.

“We are only here to ascertain the actual cause of this collapse and rescue the trapped victims. As of when due, we will communicate to the media about our findings,” he said.

Adekunle added that if the assessment showed that the structure needed to be demolished, the appropriate authorities would take action. Occupants would also be advised accordingly if the remaining sections were found to be safe.

The Kwara State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed that eight people were trapped when the building collapsed.

According to the agency, those rescued and the bodies recovered from the rubble were taken to the hospital.

“The rescued persons are receiving treatment presently,” the Kwara SEMA Secretary, Magaji Saadudeen, said.

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, provided further clarification on the structure, saying it was a specific section of the building that collapsed.

“Our findings showed that it was the boys’ quarters of the building that collapsed,” Adekimi said. “For now, the situation is under control. We will examine the remaining building and see how people can be secured. But for now, we have evacuated everybody from the main building.”

The Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbebe, described the incident as unfortunate and expressed condolences to the victims’ families.

“The rescue mission began immediately after the collapse, and to the Grace of God, some were rescued, but unfortunately, we have to take it as this,” the commissioner, who represented Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the scene, said.

Olohungbebe highlighted the importance of accessible roads in residential areas, noting that the access route to the building helped emergency responders reach the scene quickly.

“One of the things that made it very easy for us to rescue the few people we were able to rescue is the access route,” he said, urging residents and developers to comply with building and town-planning regulations.

He also commended the various agencies involved in the rescue operation, including the Ministries of Health and Environment, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the National Emergency Management Agency, the Fire Service, Civil Defence and the Red Cross.

The Chairman of Ilorin West Local Government Area, AbdulRahman Ladan, who monitored the operation, similarly praised residents and emergency responders for their swift intervention. He said between six and seven ambulances were deployed to evacuate victims.

Ladan and security officials urged residents and developers to take structural warning signs seriously and avoid cutting corners during construction.

“Whenever you discover something like this, please escalate it. Get to the point of evacuating yourself and your family members from that building. Life is the priority,” Ladan said.

He also advised developers to use quality building materials and engage qualified professionals to supervise construction in order to reduce the risk of structural failures.

President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the successful rescue of 21 people, including 15 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, who were abducted by gunmen in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The victims were rescued on Monday following a coordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) operation involving personnel from the military, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and local vigilantes.

According to the President, the rescued group comprised eight males and 13 females. They were located and freed from the kidnappers’ hideout in the forests of Ofu.

Tinubu said the rescued victims were receiving medical attention before being reunited with their families.

“While the abductees have been safely rescued, our gallant security forces are still on the trail of the routed kidnappers, in line with my directive to sustain the pressure on all criminal elements,” Tinubu said in a post on his official X handle on Monday.

He also warned that those behind the abduction would be held accountable.

“Those responsible will face the full weight of the law, and our security agencies will pursue everyone who aided this crime. My administration remains committed to ensuring that every Nigerian can travel across our country without fear.”

The President praised the security personnel involved in the operation for their courage and dedication. He also expressed appreciation to the families and loved ones of the abductees for their patience and understanding throughout the ordeal.

Tinubu further assured the families of the rescued corps members that his administration would continue working to protect their lives and property, as well as the safety of Nigerians across the country.

The victims were reportedly kidnapped at about 4:40 p.m. on August 26 around Ogene Zaria, near the Ogene Zaria–Onicha-Igo Junction in Ofu Local Government Area.

Police authorities said armed men emerged from the surrounding bush and blocked two buses travelling in opposite directions.

The attackers reportedly abducted some passengers, while others managed to escape into the surrounding bush.

The latest rescue operation brings relief to the families of the victims, while security agencies continue efforts to track down the suspected kidnappers and bring those responsible to justice.