The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has insisted that its temporary restriction on an Osun State Government bank account was lawful and backed by provisions of the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
Speaking on Arise Television on Thursday, EFCC spokesperson and Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, rejected claims by the Osun State Government and the Nigerian Bar Association that the commission required a court order before placing the restriction.
According to him, the decision followed what the agency described as suspicious transactions on the account over the past week.
“As we indicated in the statement released by the Commission, we took that step to preserve the account of the Osun State Government.
“We observed in the past one week that activities on that account looked suspicious, and based on the mandate of the Commission, we took the step of placing a restriction on that account to preserve it,” he said.
Uwujaren clarified that the action affected only one account and did not amount to a freeze on all Osun State accounts.
“That restriction order does not mean that all the accounts of Osun State have been frozen. No. It is just a targeted restriction on one account of the Osun State Government,” he said.
He explained that the commission noticed multiple transfers from the account to several corporate entities within a short period, prompting the intervention.
“The essence, like I said, is just to preserve that account because we observed suspicious activities on that account in terms of the transfer of funds to a number of entities within one week.
“So we had to take that decision to place a restriction on that account, not minding the fact that there is an election process in place,” he said.
The EFCC spokesman argued that the agency would have been criticised if it had failed to act while public funds were allegedly being moved.
“We have the responsibility under the law to do so because if we don’t take that step and, for instance, funds are looted from the account of the Osun State Government, I’m sure the Nigerian public will also ask, ‘Where was the EFCC when those funds were being moved?’” he said.
Uwujaren maintained that the state government still had access to other accounts and could continue to carry out its operations, including salary payments.
“It does not stop the Osun State Government from running the government of the state because they have access to other funds in the other accounts that they have.
“In any case, the payment of salaries and other expenditures by the state government happens just once in a month. What we have done is not a blanket freezing of the account.
“It’s just a targeted freezing. Once we are satisfied that activities on that account are no longer suspicious, it will be lifted,” he said.
On the legal basis for the restriction, he pointed to specific statutory provisions empowering the commission to temporarily restrict access to an account.
“A number of people have asked whether the Commission has the power to do so under the law. I can assure you that we have the power to place a temporary restriction on an account.
“Section 34 of the EFCC Act and Section 7, Subsection 6 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2022 give us that authority to take that step,” he said.
He added that the restriction could remain in place for up to 72 hours before the commission would need to seek judicial backing if it wished to extend it.
“The restriction order can last within 72 hours before we can come with a court order if we need to provide a court order,” he said.
The EFCC had earlier announced that it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over the alleged fraudulent management of about N11bn in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations.
The commission said some officials, including the Accountant General, had already been questioned.
