By Ayodele Quadri, Lagos Times Correspondent
OSOGBO, NIGERIA — The Osun State Government has strongly dismissed claims by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleging that ₦11 billion was diverted or looted from the state’s treasury.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, August 6, 2026, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, described the anti-graft agency’s claim as a “failed attempt to cover up an illegal action through unfounded allegations”.
The response follows an earlier confirmation by the EFCC that it placed a Post No Debit (PND) order on Osun State’s primary accounts over an ongoing investigation into the alleged mismanagement of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds, and Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations.
Key Operational Highlights
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Rejection of Looting Claims: The state government maintained that public funds in Osun are prudently managed and disbursed strictly for civil service welfare, infrastructure, and essential public services.
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Palliatives & Worker Subsidy Payment: The government clarified that recent account disbursements flagged as “suspicious” by the EFCC were legitimate cost-of-living palliative payments made to state workers following formal labor negotiations.
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Allegations of Political Interference: State officials accused the EFCC of performing a “hatchet job” on behalf of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the August 15 Osun State Governorship Election.
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Legal Challenge Pending: The Osun State Ministry of Justice confirmed it is filing emergency applications in court, arguing that the EFCC lacks unilateral statutory authority under the Money Laundering Act to freeze the operational treasury of a sub-national government.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OSUN STATE GOVERNMENT vs EFCC DISPUTE MATRIX │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Lead Spokesman : Oluomo Kolapo Alimi (Commissioner for Info) │
│ │
│ • Key Respondent : Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) │
│ │
│ • Disputed Amount : ₦11 Billion (Ecology, Intervention & FAAC Funds) │
│ │
│ • Disputed Outflow : State Worker Cost-of-Living Palliative Payments │
│ │
│ • Legal Stance : Unilateral freezing of state accounts violates │
│ constitutional governance and sub-national law. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘“We Don’t Loot Public Funds in Osun State”
Rebutting the anti-graft agency’s allegations, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, stated:
“The statement by the EFCC alleging that ₦11 billion was looted from the state’s account is a failed attempt to cover up illegal action through unfounded allegations… The real reason the Commission froze the state account on the order of political interests was to stop the payment of palliatives which the state government promised the workers. Fortunately, we have paid the palliatives to all Osun State workers.” — Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, Osun State Commissioner for Information
Highlighting the state’s financial track record and rejecting claims of financial impropriety, Alimi added:
“All material facts point to the fact that the commission is pursuing a hatchet job for the Osun APC by illegally freezing the state account and falsely accusing the government of looting ecological and other state funds. We don’t loot public funds in Osun State; we deliver on public goods and services.” — Oluomo Kolapo Alimi
Addressing the constitutional implications of the account freeze, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Osun State, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, emphasized:
“The statutory account of Osun State contains public funds meant for governance, salaries, pensions, health care, education, security, and other essential obligations to the people. Section 24 of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act does not confer on the EFCC the unilateral power to freeze or interfere with the statutory account of a state government.” — Oluwole Jimi-Bada, Attorney-General of Osun State
