By RhemDy News
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has given reason for the freezing of bank account belonging to the Osun State government, ten (10) days away from the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the State.
The anti-graft agency, in a statement on Wednesday, said it was 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".
EFCC said it 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 account to the tune of N11 billion.
"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.
"These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026," the Commission said.
EFCC said it 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 were being moved.
The statement noted that the preventive mandate by the agency was 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," it stated.
The Commission added that while the EFCC was fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it also 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.
"It is equally needful to state that the Commission is keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State," the EFCC stated.
The statement added that many of these states were on the investigative radar of the Commission to ensure accountability and probity.
"The Commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but 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 demonisation of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the Commission," the anti-graft agency added.
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