Tinubu Orders EFCC To Lift Freeze On Osun State Government Accounts

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately return to court to vacate the order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, describing the timing of the action as unfortunate and capable of creating the wrong public impression.

The directive was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the President and released through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

The President’s intervention comes less than 24 hours after the EFCC announced that it had secured a court order to freeze the state’s accounts as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged mismanagement of approximately ₦11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds, and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations.

While acknowledging that the anti-graft agency acted based on a valid court order, Tinubu expressed concern over the timing of the decision, noting that actions taken by federal institutions are often perceived by the public as directives from the Presidency.

“It has come to my notice that the EFCC obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government. I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action.

“This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action,” Tinubu stated.

Following the development, the President instructed the EFCC to immediately approach the court to have the freezing order lifted and discontinue every related action affecting the Osun State Government’s accounts.

Tinubu also reiterated his administration’s commitment to preserving the operational independence of anti-corruption agencies and other law enforcement institutions.

According to him, since assuming office, he has consistently maintained that agencies such as the EFCC must be allowed to perform their constitutional duties independently, professionally, and without political interference.

The controversy began on Wednesday when the EFCC disclosed that it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over allegations of fraudulent handling of public funds valued at about ₦11 billion.

The commission stated that its investigation centres on the management of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds, and FAAC allocations, adding that the decision to freeze the state’s bank accounts was intended to preserve public funds while investigations continue.

The latest directive from President Tinubu is expected to reverse the account restriction as the legal process continues, while the EFCC’s investigation into the alleged financial misconduct remains ongoing.