The Osun State Government has officially refuted claims from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding the freezing of state bank accounts. The anti-graft agency alleged that an investigation into the disappearance of N11 billion necessitated the freeze, but state officials describe this as a fabrication.
Kolapo Alimi, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, stated on Thursday that the commission’s actions were actually orchestrated by former Governor and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola. According to the government, the primary motivation for freezing the accounts was to block the disbursement of palliatives to civil servants, which had been previously negotiated with labour unions to mitigate economic difficulties.
Alimi firmly denied any diversion of public funds. He explained that state resources are directed toward infrastructure, worker benefits, and various development initiatives. He further characterized the ongoing EFCC investigation, which began in March 2026, as a campaign of political harassment against senior officials.
While the EFCC maintains that its intervention was a legal measure to protect funds during an investigation, the state government has initiated legal action to challenge the legality of the account freeze. The government argues that if the commission truly suspected financial crimes, it should pursue standard judicial prosecution rather than disrupting state operations.
