The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been instructed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to go back to court right away in order to lift the injunction that froze the Osun State Government’s bank accounts.
On Thursday, August 6, 2026, the President made the announcement in a State House statement.
Although he acknowledged that the anti-graft agency moved within its legal mandate after receiving the court judgement on August 5, 2026, he expressed his extreme embarrassment at the timing of the EFCC’s action.
In the statement, Tinubu said: “It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government. I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action.”
He continued by saying that he is frequently given credit for measures conducted by federal organisations, even if he was unaware of them beforehand.
“Every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action.”
Tinubu emphasised that he has purposefully permitted anti-corruption organisations to carry out their mandated duties without intervention since taking office.
“Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference.”
He also said he firmly thinks that robust democratic institutions acting within the law are vital for good governance and the rule of law.
Although he stated he had not yet been fully briefed on the reasons behind the EFCC’s move, Tinubu insisted that the timing was unsuitable because of the approaching governorship race.
“While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene.”
He further stated: “Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the federal government is being used to interfere with the election.”
The President said the overriding public interest in preserving confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process informed his decision.
He concluded by ordering the EFCC to withdraw the court order and halt the case against the Osun State Government.
“Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard.”