The Osun State Government has commenced legal proceedings against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the restriction placed on some of its bank accounts, describing the action as unlawful and capable of disrupting government operations.
The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, disclosed that Governor Ademola Adeleke had directed him to file a suit before the Federal High Court to challenge the anti-graft agency’s decision.
According to the Attorney General, the state government received information that the EFCC instructed First Bank to place a Post-No-Debit restriction on several government accounts, preventing withdrawals and other debit transactions.
Jimi-Bada acknowledged the commission’s constitutional authority to investigate financial transactions but argued that freezing government accounts without a valid court order violates due process.
He maintained that while the EFCC is empowered to investigate suspected financial misconduct, any restriction on government accounts must first be authorised by a competent court.
The Attorney General warned that the restriction could affect the day-to-day administration of the state, including the payment of salaries, execution of public projects and delivery of essential government services.
He stated that the state government would seek judicial intervention to ensure that all actions taken by the anti-corruption agency comply with the provisions of the law.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Finance, Sola Ogungbile, alleged that police officers visited the main branch of First Bank in Osogbo and arrested some bank officials. However, no further details were provided regarding the identities of those arrested or the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Ogungbile also dismissed allegations that public funds were being diverted to finance Governor Adeleke’s re-election campaign, insisting that government resources are being used strictly for legitimate public purposes.
He cautioned that the continued restriction of government accounts could negatively affect civil servants, ongoing public programmes and residents who depend on government-funded services.
Prior to the reported restriction, Governor Adeleke had alleged that the EFCC was planning to freeze accounts belonging to the state government and some senior officials, claiming the move lacked legal justification and was intended to disrupt government activities ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
According to the state government, the decision to seek judicial intervention is aimed at protecting the state’s constitutional rights and ensuring that public administration is not hindered.
The EFCC, however, reportedly directed First Bank to impose the restriction on the state’s statutory allocation account as part of an ongoing investigation, citing the provisions of the EFCC Establishment Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act as the legal basis for its action.
