President Bola Ahmed 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 saying that the timing of the action is “inauspicious”
In a statement personally signed by him, on Thursday, Tinubu said he was “deeply embarrassed” by the timing of the EFCC’s action, stressing that although the anti-graft agency acted under a valid court order obtained on August 5, he had no prior knowledge of the move.
“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 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 said.
Tinubu,who reaffirmed his commitment to the independence of anti-corruption institutions, maintained that he allowed the EFCC and other anti – graft agencies to function independently believing that they would operate within the confines of the law.
“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,” he stated.
According to the president, institutions established by law must be allowed to perform their constitutional functions without fear or favour and without political interference, but noted that the circumstances surrounding the EFCC’s latest action required presidential intervention.
“As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval. Indeed, that is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers. 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,” he said.
The President expressed concern about the EFCC action and warned that with the Osun governorship election only days away, nothing should give the impression that federal institutions are being deployed to interfere with the electoral process.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He added
“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.
“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 directive comes barely 24 hours after the EFCC explained its decision to freeze the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, saying the action was taken to prevent the alleged diversion of public funds amid an ongoing probe into suspected financial misconduct.
The EFCC said it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2025 over the alleged fraudulent management of Ecology Funds, intervention Funds and and allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee ( FAAC) involving about N11billion
The EFCC further stated that the accounts would not have been frozen if not for what it called ” precipitate and unwarranted movement off funds”
Prior to the Presidential order vacating the EFCC court order freezing the Osun state accounts, public opinion had reportedly pointed towards the direction of the presidency as the mastermind of the EFCC ‘s action given that reports of arrest of state officials and even mysteries of killings of politicians allied to the governor’s party had yet to receive serious attention.
Election:"Vacate Order Freezing Osun State Bank Accounts", Tinubu Orders EFCC
