No ₦11bn Was Looted in Osun, Commissioner Replies EFCC

The Osun State Government has dismissed allegations that ₦11 billion was misappropriated from its treasury, describing claims reportedly made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as baseless and politically motivated.

In a statement released on Thursday through the state’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government insisted that no public funds were looted and accused the anti-graft agency of attempting to justify what it described as the unlawful freezing of the state’s bank account.

According to the government, the decision to freeze the account was allegedly influenced by former Governor Gboyega Oyetola with the intention of frustrating the payment of palliative allowances promised to civil servants.

The statement claimed that despite the restriction placed on the account, the state government successfully paid the promised palliatives to workers after engaging relevant stakeholders.

It noted that the financial support formed part of the administration’s efforts to cushion the effects of prevailing economic hardship and was not the first time such assistance had been extended to workers.

Rejecting the allegation of financial misconduct, the government maintained that available state resources had been committed to infrastructure development, workers’ welfare and critical public services rather than being diverted for personal gain.

The administration further argued that there was no basis for claims of looting because available funds had been transparently utilised for projects benefiting residents of the state.

Osun also accused the EFCC of conducting what it described as a prolonged witch-hunt against senior government officials since March 2026 without uncovering any evidence of corruption.

According to the statement, state officials have repeatedly honoured invitations from investigators but have yet to be confronted with any credible evidence linking them to financial wrongdoing.

The government insisted that if the commission genuinely possessed evidence of corruption, it should follow established legal procedures by prosecuting suspects instead of freezing government accounts.

It described the EFCC’s allegations as an afterthought aimed at defending an action that had attracted widespread criticism.

The state government reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources while expressing confidence that the allegations would not withstand legal scrutiny or public examination.