The Osun State Government has denied allegations that ₦11 billion was looted from its coffers, describing reports credited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as an attempt to justify the unlawful freezing of the state’s accounts.
In a statement on 𝕏 on Thursday, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, insisted no financial misconduct had taken place. He alleged the anti-graft agency acted on the instruction of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola to frustrate the payment of palliatives to workers.
“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,” the statement read.
The state government said it had since paid the palliatives to all workers following negotiations aimed at cushioning the effects of the country’s economic hardship.
“Fortunately, we have paid the palliatives to all Osun State workers,” the statement said, noting that the cost-of-living support was not the first the state had extended to its workforce.
The government rejected the looting allegations outright and accused the EFCC of running a politically motivated probe on behalf of the Osun chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“All material facts point to the fact that the commission is pursuing a hatchet job for the Osun APC by illegally freezing the state account and falsely accusing the government of looting ecological and other state funds,” it said, adding, “We don’t loot public funds in Osun State; we deliver on public goods and services.”
According to the statement, the little resources available to the state have gone into infrastructure, workers’ welfare and other development programmes.
“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,” it added.
The government further claimed the EFCC has been investigating senior state officials since March 2026 without producing any evidence of wrongdoing, alleging the officials face weekly harassment designed “to distract them from delivering good governance.”
It argued that if the commission truly held evidence of corruption, it should pursue due process rather than freeze government accounts.
“Assuming but not conceding that the EFCC has any evidence of looting as posited, there are established procedures for bringing suspects to book instead of a politically motivated, unlawful freezing of government accounts without recourse to the rule of law,” the statement said.
Calling the allegations an afterthought, the Osun government said, “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 the court of public opinion.”
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