Why I Ordered EFCC To Unfreeze Osun Govt’s Bank Account-President Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unfreeze the bank account of Osun State government in First Bank plc noting that he has done this to protect public confidence in democratic process.

Recall that the anti-graft agency had on Wednesday directed the First Bank Plc to place a ‘Post-No-Debit’ restriction on the Osun State Government Statutory Allocation Account while explaining later that the decision to freeze the said bank account was sequel to unusual movement of funds to ‘suspicious’ ‘bank accounts since August 2, 2026.

Gubernatorial election is scheduled to hold in Osun State on August 15, 2026.

Appearing on Arise TV’s ‘Morning Show’ programme on Thursday morning, the Director of Public Affairs of EFCC, Mr Wilson Uwujaren had also justified the action taken by the anti-graft agency explaining that all that had been done was in the interest of the people of the state.

‘We took that step to preserve the account of Osun State government.

It was observed that the activities on the account for the past one week looked suspicious and based on the mandate of the commission, we took that step of forcing a restriction on the said account to preserve it.

. The restriction does not mean that all the accounts of Osun State have been frozen, but rather just one account of the state government.

Suspicious activities were observed in terms of funds that were transferred to a number of entities within a week, not minding the fact that there is an ongoing election process in the place. We have the responsibility under the law to do so because if that step is not taken , the public will blame the EFCC that where were they when the funds were been moved. This action does not stop the Osun State government from running the government of the state because they have access to funds in other accounts’ he said. 

Mr Wilson Uwujaren also clarified that EFCC can take a decision to direct the freezing of any bank account without a court order.

‘We have the power to place temporary restriction on any account in line with section 34 of the EFCC act and section 7 sub-section 6 of the money laundering provision act 2022.  We can freeze an account for 72 hours in the first instance before securing a court order’ he added

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that President Bola Tinubu in a statement issued by the State House on Thursday, however noted that while he will not stop the EFCC from carrying out its constitutional duties, he however had to intervene because of the timing of the action.

‘It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State

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.

 Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference.

 I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law.

While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene,

Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the federal government is being used to interfere with the election,

Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process’ he said.

That was not all, the president also asked the EFCC to stay off Osun State at least for now.

 ‘Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard’ the statement added-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079,  08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you