Adeleke Heads to Court as EFCC Defends Action Over Alleged ₦11 Billion Fraud Investigation
Osogbo, Osun State
The freezing of the Osun State Government’s bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sparked widespread political and legal reactions ahead of the August 15 governorship election in the state.
Governor Ademola Adeleke has condemned the action, describing it as an abuse of the rule of law, while directing the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to challenge the decision at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
The EFCC had, in a letter dated August 5, 2026, directed a first-generation commercial bank to place a Post-No-Debit restriction on the Osun State Government account. The anti-graft agency said the directive was issued pursuant to provisions of the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo, Governor Adeleke questioned the legal basis for the action and called on EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, to explain to the people of Osun State why the account was frozen.
The governor insisted that the action lacked justification and warned that such measures undermine democratic governance and the rule of law.
Osun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, SAN, also faulted the move, arguing that the EFCC has no constitutional power to freeze a state’s statutory account. He maintained that funds in the account are meant for salaries, pensions, healthcare, education, security and other essential government services, adding that any restriction should only be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Responding to the criticism, the EFCC defended its decision, saying it was compelled to freeze the account after investigators discovered what it described as suspicious movements of public funds.
According to the commission, it has been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over the alleged fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Allocation Account Committee (FAAC) funds amounting to about ₦11 billion.
The EFCC stated that while the investigation was ongoing, it observed large transfers of funds from the state’s accounts into several corporate entities beginning on August 2, prompting it to place a Post-No-Debit order to prevent further movement of the funds.
The anti-graft agency insisted that the action was taken strictly to protect public resources and denied allegations that the investigation was politically motivated or connected to the forthcoming governorship election.
The development has also drawn strong political reactions.
The Accord Party accused the EFCC of attempting to influence the August 15 governorship election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the action as unconstitutional and vowing to challenge it in court.
Similarly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alleged that the freezing of government funds was politically motivated and warned that the action could negatively affect workers’ salaries, healthcare, education and other essential public services.
Several legal practitioners have also expressed concern over the development, urging strict adherence to due process. While some lawyers argued that the EFCC should obtain a valid court order before freezing government accounts, others warned that any action capable of disrupting governance so close to an election could create unnecessary political tension.
Meanwhile, the Osun State chapter of the APC has called on the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate allegations of vote-buying involving the state government.
The Osun State Government, however, denied the allegation, explaining that the payments made to workers were approved palliative allowances aimed at cushioning economic hardship.
The legal and political battle over the frozen account is expected to continue in court, with the outcome likely to attract significant national attention as Osun State prepares for its governorship election.
IBN NEWS will continue to monitor the developments and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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