Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has defended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), affirming that the anti-graft agency acted within its statutory powers when it froze the Osun State Government's account.
Speaking on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, Falana emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu himself acknowledged the legality of the commission's powers, even while expressing personal embarrassment regarding the timing of the enforcement.
Falana clarified that under Nigerian law, the EFCC is fully empowered to restrict accounts belonging to federal, state, or local governments when investigating suspicious transactions, provided the agency approaches a court within 72 hours to validate the order.
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He cautioned against establishing a dangerous precedent where law enforcement agencies are expected to suspend financial probes simply because elections are near, warning that billions in public funds could be diverted if oversight is temporarily halted.
Addressing President Tinubu’s intervention, the senior advocate suggested that concerns surrounding political timing should have been handled discreetly via the Attorney-General of the Federation rather than through public directives.
The controversy follows Governor Ademola Adeleke's decision to file a ₦2 billion suit against the EFCC, maintaining that the account freeze was politically motivated ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
"Under the law, the EFCC has the power to freeze the account of the Federal Government or of any state or local government in Nigeria and, in not more than 72 hours, has to go to court." — Femi Falana, SAN
#FemiFalana #EFCC #OsunState #AdemolaAdeleke #Tinubu #OsunElection2026 #NigeriaLaw
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