President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately return to court to vacate the order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, saying the timing of the action has caused embarrassment and could create a wrong public perception.

The directive was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the President and made public through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Tinubu’s intervention comes less than 24 hours after the EFCC disclosed that it had placed a restriction on the state’s accounts as part of an investigation into the alleged fraudulent handling of about ₦11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations.

According to the President, although the EFCC acted pursuant to a court order, he considers the timing of the action inappropriate because decisions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the Presidency.

“It has come to my notice that the EFCC obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government. I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action.

“This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action,” Tinubu stated.

The President consequently directed the anti-graft agency to immediately approach the court to vacate the freezing order and discontinue all related actions against the Osun State Government.

Tinubu reiterated that since assuming office, he has consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally and without fear, favour or political interference.

The development follows the EFCC’s statement on Wednesday that it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over the alleged diversion of public funds amounting to about ₦11 billion.

The commission had maintained that the restriction on the state’s accounts was part of efforts to preserve public funds while investigations continue.