EFCC's Account Freeze of Osun State Legal, Says Falana

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, affirmed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) acted within legal bounds by freezing the Osun State Government’s account. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Falana explained that the EFCC is authorized to freeze a state government’s account if it obtains a court order within a specified timeframe.

He referenced a 2022 Court of Appeal ruling that confirmed the EFCC's powers, stating that the commission can impose a Post No Debit restriction for up to 72 hours before seeking court approval. Falana also mentioned a 2019 Federal High Court ruling against the EFCC's authority, which was overturned by the Court of Appeal.

He highlighted a 2024 Supreme Court judgment that upheld the powers of anti-corruption agencies to investigate state accounts. Falana advised that any changes to this legal framework should be pursued through the National Assembly.

He noted that the EFCC had indeed gone to court regarding the Osun case, leading to Federal High Court intervention.