Civil groups question Tinubu's direction of EFCC Osun freeze

Civil society groups and legal experts have raised serious concerns about the operational independence of Nigeria's anti-corruption agencies following President Bola Tinubu's intervention in a case involving the Osun State government. The controversy stems from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's decision to freeze the state's statutory allocation account, a move the EFCC defended as necessary to prevent the alleged diversion of public funds.

The EFCC issued a directive to First Bank on August 5, 2026, instructing the bank to place a "Post No Debit" restriction on the Osun State Government Statutory Allocation Account. The commission stated the action was taken after investigators detected unusual and rapid transfers of funds from the account beginning on August 2, 2026, amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged mismanagement of approximately 11 billion naira in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds, and Federal Account Allocation Committee allocations. The EFCC emphasized that the probe, which began in March 2026 and has involved questioning several state officials including the Accountant-General, was not politically motivated despite its proximity to the state's...