Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has initiated a N2 billion legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following the freezing of the state’s federal allocation account. The case, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/1762/2026, was lodged at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Alongside the Governor, the Osun State Attorney General and Accountant General are serving as plaintiffs. The EFCC, its Chairman, and First Bank of Nigeria Limited are listed as defendants. The core of the dispute centers on whether the EFCC acted within its legal bounds by restricting the state’s financial account without securing a prior court order.
Adeleke asserts that the commission bypassed mandated protocols, violating the Nigerian Constitution and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. The plaintiffs argue that the directive issued to First Bank to block funds undermines the state’s financial autonomy and constitutional functions.
The state government is requesting that the court declare the EFCC’s actions unconstitutional and void. Furthermore, the suit seeks a permanent injunction to prevent the commission from interfering with state accounts in the future. The plaintiffs are also pursuing N2 billion in damages for the unauthorized disruption of public funds. A hearing date for the matter has yet to be scheduled.
