By SUNTV Global Channel
August 8, 2026
OSOGBO, OSUN STATE — The legal controversy surrounding the restriction placed on the Osun State Government’s statutory allocation account has deepened, with the state’s counsel, Prof. Mubarak Adekilekun (SAN), insisting that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to comply with legal requirements before restricting the account.
Adekilekun made the claim during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, amid the ongoing dispute over the EFCC’s directive placing a Post No Debit (PND) restriction on the account operated through First Bank.
According to the senior lawyer, neither the Osun State Government nor First Bank was served with a court order authorising the restriction.
He said the EFCC transmitted a letter directing the bank to restrict the account, but that First Bank subsequently confirmed that no court order accompanied the directive.
Adekilekun argued that although the EFCC has statutory powers to investigate and prevent financial crimes, those powers must be exercised within the provisions of the law.
He specifically referred to Section 7 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, which he said requires a court order to be obtained and served before an account can be restricted in the circumstances under dispute.
The lawyer rejected the argument that the EFCC could impose a temporary restriction for up to 72 hours before obtaining judicial approval, insisting that a court order was required.
Adekilekun also dismissed suggestions that the account was being used for money laundering, arguing that the account primarily receives statutory allocations from the Federation Account.
However, his position differs from that of another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, who recently defended the EFCC’s legal authority to place restrictions on accounts under certain circumstances.
Falana argued that the anti-graft agency could lawfully impose a temporary restriction, provided it follows the required legal procedure and obtains judicial approval within the stipulated period.
He reportedly cited a 2022 Court of Appeal judgment involving the Benue State Government and the EFCC, which he said affirmed the commission’s authority to place a Post No Debit restriction on an account for up to 72 hours before obtaining judicial approval.
The dispute has intensified following the controversy surrounding the restriction ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
President Bola Tinubu has reportedly directed the EFCC to approach the court to vacate the order freezing the account and discontinue the action, amid concerns over the potential impact of the restriction on the state government’s financial operations.
When asked whether the Osun State Government would continue with its legal proceedings despite the President’s intervention, Adekilekun said the decision would ultimately depend on his client.
The controversy has triggered a wider legal debate over the extent of the EFCC’s powers, the judicial safeguards required before government accounts can be restricted and the constitutional relationship between federal anti-corruption agencies and state governments.
As the dispute continues, the legality of the EFCC’s action and the interpretation of the relevant provisions of the law remain subjects of legal and public debate.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor the matter and report further developments as official decisions and court proceedings emerge.
