The Osun State Government has dismissed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) allegation that N11 billion was looted from the state’s account, describing the accusation as baseless and an attempt to justify what it called the unlawful freezing of government funds.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government insisted that the anti-graft agency’s action was politically motivated and aimed at frustrating the payment of palliatives approved for state workers.
According to the state government, the freezing of its bank account was carried out at the instance of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola to halt the disbursement of cost-of-living support to civil servants.
“The real reason the Commission froze the state account on the order of Gboyega Oyetola was to stop the payment of palliatives which the state government promised workers some months ago. This account freezing marks the climax of Oyetola/Ambo’s historic anti-workers’ obsession,” the statement said.
The government noted that the palliative payments had already been made following negotiations with labour unions to cushion the impact of the country’s economic hardship.
It stressed that the intervention was not unprecedented, explaining that similar cost-of-living subsidies had previously been extended to workers in the state.
The government further rejected allegations that public funds, including ecological allocations, had been diverted, maintaining that available resources were being deployed to infrastructure projects, workers’ welfare and other development programmes.
“We don’t loot public funds in Osun State; we deliver public goods and services,” the statement added.
According to the government, limited state resources have been committed to executing major projects and improving critical sectors rather than being misappropriated.
“There is no fund to loot in Osun State as the little resources we have are expended on many mega projects, workers’ welfare and sectoral developments for the benefit of the masses. We reject attempts to tarnish the image of our hardworking governor,” it stated.
The administration also accused the EFCC of subjecting its officials to months of harassment under the guise of an investigation that began in March 2026.
It claimed that despite repeated interrogations of top government officials, the Commission had failed to uncover evidence of wrongdoing.
“The EFCC has been conducting a witch-hunting investigation since March 2026 without any indicting evidence against top officials. Government officials are being harassed on a weekly basis, all with the sole aim of distracting them from delivering good governance to the Osun population,” the statement said.
The government further argued that Osun had earned recognition for transparency in budgeting and auditing, insisting that if the EFCC genuinely possessed evidence of financial misconduct, it should follow established legal procedures rather than freezing government accounts.
“It is sad that a commission will lie to destroy the image of a state to cover up an illegal action that has backfired. This alibi from the commission is an afterthought and it cannot stand the test of truth in reality and court of public opinion,” the statement concluded.
The latest response comes after the EFCC defended its decision to freeze the Osun State Government’s bank accounts, saying the measure was necessary to prevent the alleged diversion of public funds.
The anti-graft agency has maintained that the action was based on ongoing investigations and was unrelated to the August 15 governorship election in the state.
The exchange marks a further escalation in the dispute between the Osun State Government and the EFCC over the legality and motive behind the account freeze.
