The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has defended its decision to place a temporary restriction on an Osun State Government bank account, insisting that the action was lawful and backed by the provisions of the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

The commission’s spokesperson and Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, stated this during an appearance on Arise Television on Thursday while responding to criticisms from the Osun State Government and the Nigerian Bar Association over the restriction placed on the account.

Uwujaren said the commission acted after detecting what it described as suspicious transactions on the account over the past week, stressing that the intervention was aimed at preserving public funds pending the outcome of investigations.

Restriction targeted at one account

According to the EFCC spokesman, the commission did not freeze all bank accounts belonging to the Osun State Government but only placed a temporary restriction on a single account linked to suspicious financial activities.

He explained that investigators observed multiple transfers from the account to several corporate entities within a short period, prompting the agency to intervene in line with its statutory responsibilities.

Uwujaren maintained that the action was not influenced by the ongoing political activities in Osun State, insisting that the EFCC had a duty to prevent the possible diversion of public funds.

He argued that the commission would have faced public criticism if it had ignored the suspicious transactions and the funds were eventually misappropriated.

Government operations unaffected

The EFCC spokesperson dismissed claims that the restriction had crippled the state’s financial operations, saying the Osun State Government still had access to other bank accounts for its day-to-day activities.

He noted that salaries and other government obligations could still be paid through other available accounts, adding that the restriction was a targeted measure rather than a blanket freeze on the state’s finances.

Uwujaren also assured that the restriction would be lifted once the commission was satisfied that the transactions under investigation posed no further concerns.

Legal backing for restriction

Defending the legality of the action, Uwujaren cited Section 34 of the EFCC Act and Section 7(6) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2022 as the provisions empowering the commission to temporarily restrict access to a bank account without first obtaining a court order.

He explained that under the law, the temporary restriction could remain in place for up to 72 hours, after which the commission would be required to obtain judicial approval if it intended to extend the restriction.

The EFCC had earlier disclosed that it began investigating the Osun State Government in March 2026 over the alleged mismanagement of about ₦11 billion from Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations. The anti-graft agency also confirmed that several officials, including the state’s Accountant General, had been questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.