The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International Nigeria have raised alarms regarding President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) decision to freeze Osun State government bank accounts. In a statement, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the leader of both organizations, argued that the President directing the EFCC to seek the reversal of a court-sanctioned freeze undermines the independence of anti-corruption bodies and the judiciary.
The CSOs maintain that the EFCC acted within its legal authority to safeguard public funds. They emphasized that the agency’s primary function is to investigate and prevent financial crimes without political bias. By intervening, the President risks creating a precedent where anti-corruption efforts appear subservient to executive control, potentially weakening institutional integrity.
Rafsanjani stressed that the EFCC chairman should exercise independent judgment based on legal frameworks rather than awaiting political guidance. He noted that if the EFCC oversteps its bounds, the judiciary is the proper venue for redress. He urged the National Assembly to bolster legal safeguards to shield anti-graft agencies from political manipulation, insisting that the protection of public resources must remain impartial regardless of political affiliation.
Defending the EFCC’s preventive measures, the organizations noted that swift action is necessary to prevent the depletion of state funds while legal cases proceed. They praised EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede for prioritizing fiscal responsibility and protecting the interests of the public, asserting that the President should focus on providing moral and policy support rather than involving himself in specific operational decisions.
