- If We Keep Quiet, This Illegality Will Destroy What Is Left Of Our Democracy, Adeleke Blows Hot
- EFCC Open Up: We Froze The Accounts Over Alleged ₦11bn Fraud In Ecology, FAAC Funds
A fresh political and legal battle has erupted in Osun State after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) defended its decision to freeze the state government’s bank accounts, alleging an ongoing investigation into the suspected diversion of ₦11 billion in public funds, while Governor Ademola Adeleke condemned the action as illegal and politically motivated.
The anti-graft agency said the accounts were frozen to prevent the alleged movement of suspicious funds, insisting the action was part of its statutory responsibility to protect public resources and had nothing to do with the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the EFCC disclosed that it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over the alleged fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations amounting to ₦11 billion.
According to the Commission, several state officials, including the Accountant-General, have already been questioned by investigators as part of the ongoing probe.
The EFCC said it initially had no intention of placing a Post No Debit order on the state’s accounts but was compelled to act after detecting what it described as suspicious transfers of large sums of money beginning on August 2, 2026.
“The Commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved,” the EFCC said.
Defending its action, the Commission maintained that its preventive powers are designed to safeguard public funds and insisted it could not “watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.”
“While the Commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state. The Osun State Government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted,” the statement added.
The EFCC also disclosed that Osun is not the only state under investigation, saying several other state governments are currently on its investigative radar as part of efforts to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.
However, Governor Adeleke rejected the anti-graft agency’s action, accusing the EFCC of freezing the state’s accounts without obtaining a court order and describing the move as an assault on democracy and the constitutional rights of subnational governments.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the governor alleged that his administration had faced sustained political intimidation in recent months, including what he described as the paralysis of the local government system, attacks on residents and repeated arrests of members of the Accord Party.
He further alleged that about 60 Accord members had been arrested, taken to Abuja and detained without charges, blaming the development on former Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
“This morning, we received a letter from our banker forwarding a letter from the EFCC instructing the bank to freeze the Osun State Government account. This action was taken without any court order,” Adeleke said.
The governor argued that the action undermines the rule of law and poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic system.
“We are supposed to be in a democracy where the rule of law must always prevail. We will not accept a situation where federal agencies trample on the constitutional rights of subnational governments. This is a threat to our democracy,” he declared.
Adeleke challenged the EFCC Chairman to publicly justify the freezing of the state’s accounts and provide evidence supporting the Commission’s allegations.
He also announced that he had directed the state’s Attorney-General to institute legal proceedings at the Federal High Court in Osogbo to challenge what he described as an illegal action.
Despite the controversy, the governor said his administration and political campaign would continue while the matter is resolved in court.
The exchange has heightened political tension in Osun ahead of the governorship election, with both the EFCC and the state government standing firmly by their positions over the legality and motive behind the freezing of the state’s accounts.
