Adeleke Heads to Court as EFCC Freezes Osun Salary Account
• Anti-graft agency says it acted to save public funds from being looted
•Source reveals over N18 billion withdrawn from account in 14 days
• ADC: Freezing Osun’s bank account is political terrorism
•Alleges Tinubu’s win-at-all-cost plan is a threat to democracy
• Ajayi, Odinkalu, HURRIWA fault EFCC
Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah in Abuja, Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo and Wale Igbintade in Lagos
Governor Ademola Adeleke yesterday vowed to challenge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) decision to freeze the Osun State salary account domiciled with First Bank, describing the action as unconstitutional and a violation of due process, even as the anti-graft agency insisted it acted to prevent the alleged diversion of public funds.
This comes as a reliable source familiar with the investigation alleged that more than N18 billion had been withdrawn from the said account which is now under scrutiny 14 times in less than two months, The source who pleaded to remain anonymous, also dismissed allegations that the Commission was acting selectively ahead of the Osun election, alleging that investigators had observed unusual transactions in the government’s salary accounts. According to the official, accounts that ordinarily recorded salary payments once a month had recently witnessed multiple large transfers within a short period, prompting closer scrutiny by the Commission. He maintained that the EFCC could not ignore suspicious financial movements simply because of the prevailing political climate.
The development however, drew sharp criticism from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which described the freezing of the state’s bank account as “political terrorism” and alleged it was part of a win-at-all-cost agenda of the ruling party that threatens Nigeria’s democracy, while legal and civil rights groups faulted the EFCC’s action.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force yesterday announced the deployment of 15,000 personnel across Osun State and warned political actors and their supporters against violating electoral laws ahead of next Saturday’s governorship election.
Governor Adeleke accused the EFCC of unlawfully directing the freezing of the state government’s bank accounts without obtaining a court order, describing the action as a violation of the rule of law and a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, Adeleke said the state government received a letter from its banker informing it of an EFCC directive ordering the immediate freezing of the accounts.
The governor said the action came amid what he described as sustained intimidation of his administration and members of the Accord political movement, alleging that the state had experienced the paralysis of the local government system, arrests of political leaders and harassment of supporters.
According to him, the freezing of the state’s accounts was carried out without any court order, a development he said was unconstitutional and unacceptable in a democratic setting.
Adeleke called on the Chairman of the EFCC to publicly explain the reasons for the action and provide evidence to justify the directive freezing the state’s accounts.
He warned that allowing federal agencies to take such actions against subnational governments without due process could undermine constitutional democracy and the rule of law.
The governor disclosed that he had directed the Osun State Attorney General to challenge the EFCC’s action at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
Despite the development, Adeleke said his administration would continue its activities, insisting that it would not be distracted by what he described as acts of intimidation.
EFCC: We Froze Osun Account to Save Public Funds from Being Looted
However, in its reaction, the EFCC has explained why it issued the “Post-no-Debit” (PND) order on the account of the Osun State Government domiciled with the First Bank of Nigeria.
The anti-graft agency in a statement explained that it took the action to prevent the looting of about N11 billion belonging to the state.
The PND order on the Osun State Government Statutory Allocation Account was made public by the Osun State government, which had accused the anti-graft agency of attempts at paralysing government activities few days to the August 15, governorship election.
While claiming that the said account WAs one of the government’s salary accounts, the government in a statement issued yesterday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, stated that the action of the EFCC was aimed at disrupting the operations of the Adeleke-led administration barely few days to the governorship election in Osun State.
Reacting, the anti-graft agency maintained that its decision to freeze the Osun State Government account had nothing to do with the forthcoming election but rather its investigation of an alleged N11 billion fraud.
Specifically, the commission maintained that, “The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.”
It disclosed that some officials of the state government, including the Accountant- General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC.
According to the statement signed by Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale, the officials are being investigated over their handling of the Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is compelled to publicly address issues pertaining to its preventive moves in freezing the bank account of the Osun State government, without prejudice to the imminent governorship election in the state.
“The Commission has been busy investigating the Osun state government since March, 2026, regarding alleged fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC account to the tune of N11, 000,000, 000(Eleven Billion Naira only). To this end, some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC”, the statement.
The commission observed that the ongoing investigations would not have warranted any placement of PND order on the state’s account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since 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’s preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources. The Commission cannot 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. It will be uncharitable for the Commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions,” the statement added.
The EFCC disclosed that besides Osun State, many other states are on the investigative radar of the Commission to ensure accountability and probity.
The commission reiterated that it is a non-partisan and non-sectarian agency that is always working in the overall interests of Nigerians.
“The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.
“The public is enjoined to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonization of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the Commission,” he added.
A copy of the EFCC’s letter showed that the PND order was sequel to an earlier letter to the Managing Director of First Bank dated April 15, 2026, in respect of “investigation activities”.
The letter signed by one ACE, Adenike Babalola on behalf of the Director, Investigation read in part: “In furtherance to the above you are kindly requested to place a Post-no-Debit on the account.
“The request is made pursuant to Section 38(1)&(2) of the EFCC Act, 2004 and Section 24 of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2022”.
ADC: Freezing Osun’s Bank Account is Political Terrorism
The ADC condemned the freezing of the State’s account, describing it as “political terrorism” and accused the federal government of weaponising state institutions to punish the people of the state.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party argued that President Tinubu’s mentality of ‘all is fair in war’ constitutes a serious threat to democracy and national stability.
The party noted that withholding of funds was part of a broader strategy of intimidation, which it said included the continued occupation of local councils by unelected APC loyalists, the arrest of opposition figures, armed political thugs allegedly backed by security agencies, as orchestrated destabilisation of the State, using federal institutions.
The ADC condemned in the strongest possible terms the freezing of the statutory allocations due to the local governments of Osun State.
According to the spokesman of the party, ‘’This is not an administrative decision or a legal dispute. It is political terrorism by the Bola Tinubu-led APC government carried out with the instruments of the Nigerian state in order to achieve the singular objective of undermining the state government ahead of the coming governorship election in the State.
‘’This sinister move confirms that the Tinubu-led Federal Government will do anything, including starving the people of Osun State, to achieve its political objectives.
‘’Yet no democracy worthy of the name deliberately sacrifices the welfare of innocent citizens in pursuit of partisan political ends. The salaries of workers, the operation of primary healthcare centres, the education of children, rural infrastructure, and other essential public services have all been turned into bargaining chips in President Tinubu’s political contest.’’
Abdullahi further said, ‘’We have noted earlier that President Bola Tinubu’s mentality, which regards political contests as warfare, constitutes a serious threat to democratic engagement.
‘’ But even in war, there are rules of engagement that recognise human dignity and place limits on the conduct of adversaries.
‘’Democracies are expected to hold themselves to an even higher standard. What justification can there possibly be for the barbarity now playing out in Osun State, where one man has declared war on his own people?’’
He said the freezing of local government funds was only the latest chapter in what has become a systematic campaign to undermine constitutional government in the state.
Adding that, ‘’For well over a year, unelected APC loyalists have continued their illegal occupation of Local Government Councils, in open disregard for democratic legitimacy and the rule of law. Instead of protecting constitutional order, federal institutions have looked the other way and even encouraged the illegality.
‘’Candidates and leaders of the Accord Party have reportedly been subjected to indiscriminate arrests, not because they constitute a threat to public safety, but because political intimidation has become an accepted instrument of politics by a federal government that has abandoned all pretences to ethics or morality.
‘’In Osun State today, violence has become normalised. Hoodlums allegedly associated with the APC have openly deployed military-grade weapons to terrorise communities, intimidate political opponents, and undermine peace across the state.
‘’Rather than confront criminality with impartiality, security agencies have appeared content to watch from the sidelines.
‘’Even more disturbing are allegations that individuals and their armed gangs have enjoyed the active protection or indulgence of elements within the Nigeria Police while carrying out acts of intimidation against citizens.
‘’If true, nothing better illustrates the collapse of the distinction between the impartial authority of the state and the partisan interests of a political party.
‘’Taken together, these actions reveal something more dangerous than ordinary political competition. They point to the deliberate promotion of a state of anarchy by federal authorities and agencies whose constitutional duty is to preserve law, order, and democratic stability.
‘’No ruling party should ever confuse electoral competition with military conquest. Political opponents are not enemy combatants. Opposition-controlled states are not occupied territories. Public institutions do not belong to whichever party temporarily controls the federal government,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC therefore called for the immediate restoration of all statutory allocations due to the Local Governments of Osun State, the withdrawal of all forms of federal intimidation against the people of the state, and the restoration of constitutional order.
‘’What the people of Osun deserve is the democratic right to freely choose who governs them. But right now, they have been placed under a siege. This rascality has to stop.’’, he stressed.
Ajayi, Odinkalu: EFCC Lacks Power to Freeze Osun Government Accounts Without Court Order
Senior lawyers yesterday weighed in on the matter, arguing that the EFCC lacks the constitutional and statutory authority to freeze the bank accounts of the Osun State Government without first obtaining a court order.Constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN, said the law is settled that bank accounts can only be frozen pursuant to a valid court order.”It is beyond cavil that this is a bull in the china shop set to break our fragile ware by way of a true federal government being nurtured by the Federal Government,” Ajayi said.
According to him, judicial decisions have clearly circumscribed the powers of the anti-graft agency.”The courts have made two things plain: freeze accounts only on court orders. Second, the EFCC has limited powers.”Combine this with the sovereignty of each state and the crippling effect on millions in the state on suspicion that a few are corrupt or thieving servants,” he added.Ajayi warned that freezing the accounts of a state government without judicial authorisation would not only offend constitutional principles but also disrupt governance, public services and the welfare of millions of residents who have no connection with any alleged wrongdoing.
Similarly, human rights lawyer and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, said the EFCC cannot lawfully freeze any account through an administrative directive.
“EFCC needs a court order to do that, sir. It cannot be done lawfully as an administrative act,” Odinkalu stated.
Also weighing in, a Lagos-based legal practitioner, Isiaka Olagunju, said the Nigerian constitution recognises a federal system of government and that anti-corruption investigations must be conducted within the limits of the law.
According to him, where there are allegations of embezzlement or financial misconduct against any state official, the EFCC should target the specific individuals under investigation rather than issue a blanket directive capable of freezing the entire finances of a state government.
He added that the primary responsibility of any government was to ensure the welfare and security of its citizens, warning that any action capable of crippling the financial operations of a state would ultimately hurt innocent residents who depend on government services.
“The primary objective of government is to seek the welfare and protection of its citizens,” he said.
Equally, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expressed outrage over the EFCC’s action, describing it as one that raises grave constitutional, legal and democratic concerns.
HURIWA noted that the timing of the reported account restriction—coming in the heat of an election campaign and reportedly affecting an account used for the payment of workers’ salaries—was bound to provoke legitimate public concern about whether coercive state institutions are being deployed in a manner capable of disrupting governance and undermining confidence in the electoral process.
HURIWA in a statement endorsed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, noted that democracy cannot flourish where institutions vested with enormous coercive powers are perceived as acting in ways that could tilt the political playing field or create avoidable hardship for citizens.
“It is unacceptable that any action by a federal agency should create the impression that governance in a federating state can be crippled on the eve of an election without the highest standards of transparency, legality and accountability. Such perceptions, if left unanswered, erode public confidence in democratic institutions and the rule of law,” he added.
HURIWA stated that anti-corruption agencies derive their legitimacy from strict fidelity to the Constitution and due process, not from the exercise of raw power.
“The EFCC must remain an impartial law enforcement institution. It must never conduct itself in a manner that gives room for allegations that it is serving political interests rather than the cause of justice.
“The credibility painstakingly built by any anti-corruption institution can be undermined if its actions appear selective, opaque or politically timed.”
Osun Poll: Police Read Riot Act to Electoral Laws Violators, Deploy 15,000 Personnel
The Nigeria Police Force yesterday said all violators of Electoral laws would be held accountable for all their actions before, during and after election.
The authority also made it cleared that about 15,000 personnel would be deployed, including Commissioners of Police, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), Police Mobile Force (PMF) operatives and other specialized units, to provide security for the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
THISDAY also learnt exclusively yesterday that 1 DIG, 3 AIG, 37CPs would be deployed to ensure credible, inclusive, and transparent election, as one Commissioner of Police would mount 30 local government areas including Modakeke area office.
The Commissioner Police in charge of Osun state election CP Samuel Erale Etaifo disclosed this yesterday while addressing journalists and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) at the Police Officers’ Mess in Osogbo.
The police boss assured residents and political stakeholders that the police would remain neutral, professional and committed to delivering a peaceful, free, fair and credible election.
Etaifo said the Inspector-General of Police had given him a clear mandate to restore peace, build public confidence and coordinate security arrangements that would guarantee a conducive atmosphere for the governorship poll.
According to him, he had already paid a courtesy visit to Governor Ademola Adeleke to brief him on his assignment and the determination of the police hierarchy to stabilize the state’s security architecture ahead of the election.
“I met the governor and informed him about my mandate in Osun State. The Inspector-General of Police directed me to pacify the state and stabilize the security situation in preparation for a free, fair and credible election,” the commissioner said.
He explained that the early deployment of security personnel was designed to reassure residents and encourage massive voter participation by eliminating fear and intimidation.
“We cannot have a hostile atmosphere and expect to conduct a free and fair election.
The early arrival of police personnel is to boost the confidence of the people of Osun State and discourage voter apathy. We want every eligible voter to believe that they can come out and exercise their civic responsibility without fear,” he stated.
He said the police, in collaboration with other security agencies, would provide adequate protection for officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), election materials, voters and other stakeholders throughout the electoral process.
The meeting formed part of the Osun State Police Command’s final preparations for the governorship election and was attended by Divisional Police Officers from across the state, senior police officers and journalists covering security and political affairs.
