The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has defended its decision to place a temporary restriction on one of the Osun State Government’s bank accounts, insisting that the action was lawful and did not require an initial court order.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday, the Commission’s Director of Public Affairs and spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said the restriction was imposed after investigators detected what they described as suspicious financial transactions involving the account.
According to Uwujaren, the measure was taken to safeguard public funds while the commission carries out its investigation.
He explained that the restriction was limited to a single government account and should not be interpreted as a blanket freeze on all accounts belonging to the Osun State Government.
Uwujaren disclosed that the EFCC observed several transfers from the account to different corporate entities within a short period, prompting the agency to intervene.
He maintained that the commission had a statutory duty to act whenever suspicious transactions were detected, arguing that failure to do so could expose public funds to possible diversion.
The EFCC spokesperson also dismissed concerns that the restriction would cripple governance in the state, noting that the Osun State Government still had access to other accounts for its day-to-day operations, including the payment of workers’ salaries and other obligations.
He added that the restriction was temporary and would be lifted once the commission was satisfied that the transactions under scrutiny posed no further concern.
Addressing criticisms from the Osun State Government and the Nigerian Bar Association, Uwujaren said the commission’s authority to impose a temporary restriction without first obtaining a court order is provided under Section 34 of the EFCC Act and Section 7(6) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2022.
He explained that under the law, the commission can restrict access to an account for up to 72 hours before seeking judicial approval if it intends to extend the action.
The EFCC had earlier announced that it launched an investigation into the Osun State Government in March 2026 over the alleged mismanagement of about N11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations.
According to the commission, several officials, including the state’s Accountant General, have already been interrogated as part of the ongoing investigation.
