The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has defended its decision to place a restriction on an Osun State Government bank account, insisting that the action was backed by law and did not require prior approval from a court.
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The commission's Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, stated this during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday while responding to criticism from the Osun State Government and the Nigerian Bar Association over the account restriction.
Uwujaren said the anti-graft agency acted after detecting what it described as suspicious financial transactions on the account over the past week, adding that the move was aimed at preserving public funds pending further investigation.
He clarified that the commission did not freeze all of the state's bank accounts, stressing that only one account was affected by the restriction.
According to him, investigators observed multiple transfers from the account to several corporate entities within a short period, prompting the commission to intervene despite the ongoing governorship election process in the state.
Uwujaren maintained that the restriction would not disrupt government activities, noting that the Osun State Government still had access to its other accounts for the payment of salaries and execution of official responsibilities.
He added that the restriction would be lifted once the commission was satisfied that the transactions on the account no longer raised concerns.
The EFCC spokesman also dismissed claims that the agency acted outside the law, saying relevant provisions of the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act empower the commission to impose a temporary restriction on an account for up to 72 hours before seeking a court order, where necessary.
The commission had earlier disclosed that it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over the alleged diversion of about ₦11bn from Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations.
It said some senior state officials, including the Accountant General, had already been questioned.
The development followed Governor Ademola Adeleke's demand that EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede explain the restriction, which the state described as unlawful.
The state's Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada (SAN), had also argued that the commission lacked the power to freeze government accounts without first obtaining a court order and vowed to challenge the action before the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
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