EFCC restricts Osun government salary account days before governorship election

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly placed one of the Osun State Government’s bank accounts under restriction less than two weeks before the state’s governorship election scheduled for August 15.

Documents obtained on Wednesday indicated that the account, domiciled with First Bank and reportedly used for the payment of workers’ salaries, had been placed on a “Post No Debit” (PND) status by the anti-graft agency, effectively preventing withdrawals and other debit transactions.

The reported restriction comes days after Governor Ademola Adeleke alleged that the EFCC was planning to freeze the state government’s accounts, as well as those of some senior officials, ahead of the governorship poll.

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Reacting to the development, the governor, through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, described the move as a calculated attempt to disrupt government activities in the lead-up to the election.

Adeleke maintained that there was no legal basis for freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government, arguing that the EFCC lacked the statutory authority to impose such restrictions on the state’s finances.

A senior government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that the account had already been placed under restriction.

According to the source, the affected account is no longer accessible for transactions, while the governor is expected to brief journalists and provide further details on the situation.

As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC had not issued an official statement explaining the reason for the restriction, leaving the circumstances surrounding the action unclear.