The Osun State Government has denied allegations that ₦11 billion was looted from its coffers, describing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC )’s reported claims as an attempt to justify what it called the unlawful freezing of the state’s accounts.
In a statement posted on 𝕏 on Thursday, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, maintained that no financial misconduct had occurred and alleged that the anti-graft agency acted on the directive of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola to frustrate the payment of palliatives to workers.
According to the statement, “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.”
Naijaonpoint reports that the state government, however, said it had successfully paid the palliatives to all workers after negotiations aimed at cushioning the impact of the country’s economic hardship.
“Fortunately, we have paid the palliatives to all Osun State workers,” the statement said, adding that the cost-of-living subsidy was not the first of its kind paid to workers in the state.
Rejecting allegations of financial misappropriation, the government accused the EFCC of pursuing a politically motivated investigation.
“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,” the statement read.
It added, “We don’t loot public funds in Osun State; we deliver on public goods and services.”
The government said available resources had been deployed to infrastructure projects, workers’ welfare and other developmental 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,” the statement added.
The government also alleged that the EFCC had been investigating senior state officials since March 2026 without establishing any case of wrongdoing.
“The EFCC has been conducting a witch-hunting investigation since March, 2026, without any indicting evidence against top officials,” the statement said, alleging that officials had been subjected to weekly harassment intended “to distract them from delivering good governance.”
The statement further argued that if the commission had credible evidence of corruption, it should follow due legal procedures rather than freezing 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,” it stated.
Describing the reported allegations as an afterthought which can not stand the test of time, the 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.”
