Osun: We can freeze accounts for 72 hours without court order — EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has defended the legality of its restriction on an Osun State Government account, asserting that specific legal provisions empower the commission to act without a prior court order. Wilson Uwujaren, the EFCC's Director of Public Affairs, stated that the commission moved to place a "Post No Debit" restriction on the account after observing suspicious activities.

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As we indicated in the statement released by the Commission, we took that step to preserve the account of the Osun State Government.

Uwujaren explained that the primary purpose of the restriction was to preserve the Osun State Government's account. "We observed in the past one week that activities on that account looked suspicious, and based on the mandate of the Commission, we took the step of placing a restriction on that account to preserve it," he said during an interview with Arise Television.

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We observed in the past one week that activities on that account looked suspicious, and based on the mandate of the Commission, we took the step of placing a restriction on that account to preserve it.

He emphasized that the action was targeted at a single account and should not be misconstrued as a wholesale freeze of the state's finances. "That restriction order does not mean that all the accounts of Osun State have been frozen. No. It is just a targeted restriction on one account of the Osun State Government," Uwujaren clarified. The commission observed significant fund transfers from the account to several corporate entities within a week, prompting the intervention.

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That restriction order does not mean that all the accounts of Osun State have been frozen. No. It is just a targeted restriction on one account of the Osun State Government.

Uwujaren further stated that the restriction would be lifted once the commission is satisfied that the activities on the account are no longer suspicious. He assured that the state government retains access to other accounts and can continue its operations, including salary payments, as these typically occur once a month. The EFCC believes that inaction in the face of suspicious fund movements would have exposed them to public criticism.

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We have the responsibility under the law to do so because if we don’t take that step and, for instance, funds are looted from the account of the Osun State Government, I’m sure the Nigerian public will also ask, ‘Where was the EFCC when those funds were being moved?’