President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to lift the court order freezing the Osun State government account, according to multiple sources. The directive was communicated during a phone conversation with Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as reported by thisdaylive.com. Tinubu’s order came after the EFCC had placed a freeze on the state’s bank account, sparking controversy and legal challenges.
The EFCC had initially frozen the account, alleging that N11 billion had been looted from the state treasury. However, the Osun government has denied the allegations, stating there was no evidence of such financial misconduct. The state government has called for the EFCC to provide proof before taking such actions, as noted in a statement from businessday.ng.
In response to the freeze, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized Tinubu, arguing that if the president could order the EFCC to unfreeze Osun’s account, he should also direct the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to release former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who is currently under investigation. This highlights ongoing tensions between political leaders and the anti-corruption agencies.
