President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to withdraw the restriction placed on accounts belonging to the Osun State Government.
Naijaonpoint reports that Tinubu gave the directive in a statement he personally signed on Thursday, saying that although he supported the anti-graft agency’s statutory responsibilities, the timing of the account freeze raised concerns.
The EFCC had on Wednesday restricted the state government’s account over an ongoing investigation into the alleged fraudulent management of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee allocations amounting to about ₦11 billion.
The restriction came 10 days before the Osun State governorship election.
The President said his concern was not with the EFCC performing its legal mandate, but with the timing of the action.
He subsequently directed the commission to take steps to remove the restriction on the state government’s account.
EFCC Writes First Bank
A senior EFCC official, who spoke with Daily Trust on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, said the commission had written to First Bank conveying the President’s directive.
“A letter has been sent to the banker to remove the PND restriction on the state government’s account following Mr President’s directive,” the official said.
He, however, rejected suggestions that the decision undermined the independence of the commission.
“Nobody should view this from the perspective of the fact that EFCC is not independent,” he added.
…-No-Debit restriction had prevented withdrawals from the affected account while the commission continued its investigation.
