Adeleke Condemns EFCC Account Freeze, Promises Legal Action.
Exactly 10days before the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke has vowed to challenge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in court after the agency allegedly directed First Bank Plc to place a No-Post-Debit restriction on an Osun State Government account. In a letter dated August 5, 2026, with reference number CR3000/EFCC/ABJ/PFS/TA/OSUN/VO.17/666, the EFCC instructed the bank to freeze the account pursuant to Section 38 (1) and (2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The letter was signed by ACE I. Adenike S. Babalola on behalf of the EFCC Director of Investigation.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede
Reacting to the development at a press conference held at the Government House in Osogbo, Adeleke, accompanied by the Commissioners for Justice and Finance, Oluwole Jimi Bada and Sola Ogunbile, described the action as illegal and insisted it was carried out without a court order.
The Government said his administration would challenge the EFCC’s decision at the Federal High Court in Osogbo, maintaining that no amount of intimidation or political victimisation by the opposition would stop his re-election bid ahead of the August 15 poll.
He also alleged that the account freeze was part of a wider campaign of harassment against his administration and supporters. He claimed that police had repeatedly raided and arrested Accord Party members, with over 60 supporters allegedly detained in Abuja without charges and several others killed, accusing an unnamed All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain of being behind the actions. Adeleke described the EFCC’s directive as a threat to democracy and called on the commission’s chairman to publicly explain the reason for freezing the state’s accounts and provide evidence to justify the decision, while insisting that his campaign would continue despite the development.
Governor of Osun State Ademola Adeleke
Earlier in the day, the Governor, through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, accused the EFCC of planning to freeze the state government’s accounts before the governorship election.
Awobajo Soliat
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