The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has defended its decision to restrict an Osun State Government bank account without a prior court order, insisting its actions are strictly within the boundaries of the law.
Speaking on Arise Television on Thursday, EFCC Director of Public Affairs Wilson Uwujaren revealed that the move followed suspicious financial activity detected over the course of a single week, involving heavy transfers to multiple corporate entities.
The anti-graft agency’s intervention comes amidst an ongoing investigation, launched in March 2026, into the alleged fraudulent handling of approximately ₦11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds, and Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations. Several state officials, including the Accountant General, have already faced questioning.
Addressing concerns raised by critics, Uwujaren clarified that the restriction was a “targeted restriction on one account” rather than a wholesale freeze of the state’s finances. He assured that the state administration remains fully capable of carrying out its duties, noting that salaries and monthly expenditures would not be disrupted as the government retains access to its other accounts.
“A number of people have asked whether the Commission has the power to do so under the law. I can assure you that we have the power to place a temporary restriction on an account,” Uwujaren stated, citing Section 34 of the EFCC Act and Section 7(6) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2022. He added that such a statutory restriction can subsist for up to 72 hours before the commission is required to seek judicial approval.
The EFCC spokesperson stressed that the agency had a duty to act swiftly to safeguard public funds, regardless of the ongoing electoral process. “If we don’t take that step and, for instance, funds are looted from the account of the Osun State Government, I’m sure the Nigerian public will also ask, ‘Where was the EFCC when those funds were being moved?’” he said.
The commission’s defence follows strong pushback from Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who branded the account freeze illegal and demanded a formal justification from EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede.
Aligning with the Nigerian Bar Association’s stance, Osun State Attorney General Oluwole Jimi-Bada (SAN) argued that while the EFCC maintains the authority to investigate state accounts, it cannot legally freeze them without an advance court order. The state government has since instructed its legal team to challenge the commission’s action at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
According to Uwujaren, the temporary restriction will be lifted once investigators are satisfied that the account’s activities no longer pose a risk.