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Osun Dismisses EFCC’s ₦11b Alleged Looting, Says Action Illegal
The Osun State Government has dismissed allegations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that it froze the state’s bank accounts over the alleged looting of N11 billion.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Osogbo, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, described the claim as an attempt to justify an unlawful action.
The government said the anti-graft agency’s explanation was unfounded and intended to cover what the government described as an illegal freezing of the state’s accounts.
According to Alimi, “the accounts were frozen to prevent the payment of palliatives approved for civil servants. The action was carried out on the orders of former Governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
“The real reason the commission froze the state account on the order of Gboyega Oyetola was to stop the payment of palliatives which the state government promised the workers some months ago. This account freezing marks the climax of Oyetola’s historic anti-workers’ obsession.”
The commissioner stated that despite the freezing of the accounts, the government had successfully paid the palliatives to workers, noting that the payments followed negotiations with labour unions aimed at cushioning the effects of the prevailing economic hardship.
He rejected the EFCC’s allegation that public funds had been diverted, insisting that government resources were being utilised for infrastructure projects, workers’ welfare and other developmental programmes across the state.
“There is no fund to loot in Osun State as the little resources we have are expended on the many mega projects, workers’ welfare and sectoral developments for the benefit of the masses,” he said.
Alimi also accused the EFCC of conducting what he described as a politically motivated investigation since March 2026, alleging that senior government officials had been subjected to repeated invitations and harassment without any evidence of wrongdoing.
“It is sad that a commission will lie to destroy the image of a state to cover up an illegal action that has backfired. This alibi from the commission is an afterthought and it cannot stand the test of truth in reality and court of public opinion,” Alimi added.
The EFCC had on Wednesday announced that it froze the Osun State Government’s accounts as a preventive measure while investigating alleged financial transactions involving about N11 billion.
EFCC maintained that the action was taken to preserve funds pending the conclusion of its investigation.
The commission denied acting on political instructions and said its intervention was in line with its statutory mandate.
Following the action by the anti-graft agency, the Osun State Government commenced legal proceedings against the EFCC, challenging the freezing of its accounts and seeking judicial relief over what it described as an unlawful interference with the state’s finances.
The state government argued that if the commission possessed credible evidence of financial misconduct, it should follow established legal procedures by prosecuting those involved rather than freezing government accounts.
It maintained that the EFCC’s allegations were unsupported and intended to tarnish the image of the administration.
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Breaking: Nigerian Workers Demand N300,000 Minimum Wage, FG Faces Fresh Salary Pressure
The Federal Workers Forum, FWF, has demanded an immediate increase in the federal minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000, noting that the current salary structure can no longer sustain civil servants amid Nigeria’s rising cost of living.
The Forum made the demand in a letter dated September 2, 2026, addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly, with the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of Nigeria and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation listed among the recipients.
The workers also proposed a new salary structure that would place the highest-paid Level 17 officer on a monthly salary of N1.5 million, while Level 1 Step 1 workers would earn N300,000.
“We call for justice and immediate wage review now, adjust the federal minimum wage to N300,000 and a maximum wage of N1.5m for the Level 17 officers,” the Forum said.
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The FWF argued that the Federal Government had not fully implemented the 2024 minimum wage agreement, claiming that federal workers had yet to receive the full consequential adjustment and associated allowances.
“It will surprise you to hear that the Federal Government has not fully implemented the new national minimum wage since July 2024. We have been in the battle for full consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage,” it said.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in August 2026, demanded an upward review of the minimum wage to N500,000.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu’s government increased the minimum wage to N70,000 per month from N30,000.
However, the cost of living for many Nigerians has tripled between 2024 and 2026.
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The Federal Government has said Nigeria will never support a military coup or any unconstitutional change of government, following claims that the country backed a failed coup attempt in the Niger Republic.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, made this known in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to the statement, the claims circulating on social media are baseless and misleading.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria remained committed to democracy, constitutional rule and political stability in West Africa and would not support any attempt to remove a government through unconstitutional means.
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“Nigeria will never support illegality or unconstitutional change of government anywhere, no matter who is involved or which country is concerned,” he said.
The minister also rejected claims that Nigeria, through its membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), supported or endorsed the military takeover in Niger.
He said the Federal Government had already stated its position on the situation in Niger in an earlier statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 30, 2026.
According to him, Nigeria remains deeply concerned about developments in Niger and wants the country to return peacefully to stability and constitutional order.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria’s close historical, cultural and fraternal ties with Niger made peace and stability in the neighbouring country particularly important.
“Nigerians at home and abroad should disregard the videos and narratives circulating online, they are intended to create confusion and tarnish Nigeria’s image,” the statement said.
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