The Osun State Government has officially initiated legal proceedings against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Federal High Court.
The state is challenging the recent freezing of its bank accounts, terming the anti-graft agency’s action unlawful and a threat to public administration.
The legal challenge follows the placement of a “Post No Debit” restriction by the EFCC on key state government accounts domiciled at First Bank, which effectively halted financial transactions.
Government Defends Due Process
Speaking on the development, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, stated that Governor Ademola Adeleke directed the legal action after confirming the directive.
While acknowledging the statutory mandate of the EFCC to investigate financial transactions, Jimi-Bada argued that the commission lacks the legal authority to freeze a state government’s operational accounts without securing a valid court order.
> “The governor has directed me to challenge this action in court. The EFCC can investigate government accounts, but it cannot freeze them without an order of the court,” Jimi-Bada said.
He warned that the unexpected restriction threatens to disrupt regular government operations, delay salary disbursements, and stall the delivery of essential public services across the state.
Allegations of Political Interference
The Commissioner for Finance, Sola Ogungbile, also addressed the incident, reporting that security operatives visited the main branch of First Bank in Osogbo, where some bank staff members were briefly detained.
Ogungbile firmly dismissed allegations that state resources were being diverted to sponsor political activities or fund Governor Adeleke’s campaign for a second term, insisting that all funds remain strictly tied to official public expenditure.
Freshmews.ng reports that the account restriction comes on the heels of earlier warnings from the state government. Kolapo Alimi, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, had previously raised alarms over an alleged blueprint by the anti-graft agency to target state accounts ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
With the election drawing near, state officials have urged the commission to weigh the wider implications of administrative freezes on regional stability and public welfare, as legal arguments between the state counsel and federal anti-graft representatives prepare to open in court.
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