By Abdulqadir Muhammad Alhaji
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has defended its decision to place a temporary restriction on a bank account belonging to the Osun State Government, insisting that the law empowers the anti-graft agency to freeze an account for up to 72 hours without first obtaining a court order.
The Commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, stated this during an interview with Arise Television on Thursday, explaining that the action followed the discovery of what he described as suspicious transactions on the account last week.
Uwujaren clarified that the restriction affected only one account and not all of the Osun State Government’s bank accounts, stressing that the state has continued to access its other accounts for the conduct of government business.
He said the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, empower the Commission to impose such a temporary restriction, adding that the agency would seek a court order if it becomes necessary to extend the freeze beyond the initial 72-hour period.
The EFCC had earlier disclosed that it has been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over allegations involving the diversion of about ₦11 billion from the Ecological Fund, intervention funds and allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The Osun State Government has denied the allegations and challenged the Commission’s action in court.
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