The Osun State Government has announced plans to institute legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (E...
The Osun State Government has announced plans to institute legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following the alleged freezing of the state's bank accounts, just days before the August 15 governorship election.
Speaking on Wednesday, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, disclosed that Governor Ademola Adeleke had directed him to challenge the anti-graft agency's action at the Federal High Court.
According to Jimi-Bada, the EFCC issued a "Post No Debit" directive to First Bank, where the state government's accounts are domiciled, effectively restricting access to the funds.
He argued that while the EFCC has the authority to investigate financial transactions, it cannot legally freeze government accounts without first obtaining a valid court order.
"I have the mandate of the governor to proceed to the Federal High Court to challenge this move. The EFCC can investigate the accounts, but it cannot freeze them without an order of the court. This action could disrupt government activities, and we will ensure the agency operates within the confines of the law," Jimi-Bada stated.
Also reacting, the Commissioner for Finance, Sola Ogungbile, alleged that police officers visited the main branch of First Bank in Osogbo and arrested some members of the bank's staff. He maintained that the state government was not using public funds to finance Governor Adeleke's re-election campaign and urged the EFCC to consider the potential impact of its actions on governance and the welfare of Osun residents.
Earlier, Governor Ademola Adeleke had raised concerns over an alleged plot by the EFCC to freeze all state government accounts, as well as those belonging to top government officials.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the governor described the reported plan as unlawful and politically motivated, alleging that it was intended to cripple government operations ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
Governor Adeleke insisted that there is no legal basis for freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government and argued that the EFCC lacks the constitutional authority to do so without due legal process.
The EFCC had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of filing this report.
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