Osun heads to court as EFCC freezes state govt accounts

Osun State is set to take legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the anti-graft agency froze government accounts.

The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, said on Wednesday that he had received the governor’s mandate to approach the Federal High Court to challenge the move.

According to him, a “post no debit” directive from the EFCC was sent to First Bank of Nigeria, where the state’s accounts are held.

Jimi-Bada argued that while the EFCC has the power to investigate accounts, it lacks the authority to freeze them without a court order.

“I have the mandate of the governor to proceed to the Federal High Court to challenge this move. EFCC can investigate the accounts but it can’t freeze the accounts without order of court.

“This step will affect government running but we will challenge the move and ensure that the agency acts within the ambit of the law,” he said.

Also reacting, the state Commissioner for Finance, Sola Ogungbile, alleged that police operatives stormed a branch of First Bank in Osogbo and arrested some bank staff.

He maintained that Governor Ademola Adeleke was not using state funds for his re-election campaign and urged the EFCC to consider the broader impact of the action on residents.

Earlier, Adeleke had raised concerns that the EFCC was planning to freeze all Osun State government accounts, as well as those of top officials.

In a statement issued by Kolapo Alimi, the governor described the alleged move as an attempt to cripple government activities ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

“The plot to freeze the state government accounts is meant to paralyze government activities ahead of the August 15th governorship election,” the statement read.

Adeleke insisted that there was no legal basis for freezing the accounts, arguing that the anti-graft agency does not have the power to take such action against a state government.