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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has explained why it froze the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, saying the action was taken to prevent the alleged diversion of public funds despite the state’s August 15 governorship election.

The anti-graft agency disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X account on Wednesday, saying it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over the alleged fraudulent handling of about N11bn in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee.

According to the commission, some officials of the state government, including the Accountant General, had already been questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.

The EFCC said the investigation alone would not have warranted freezing the accounts, but claimed it detected suspicious movement of funds from the government’s accounts beginning August 2.

“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.

“The Commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved,” the statement read.

Defending its decision, the commission said it had a legal responsibility to protect public funds and could not ignore suspicious financial transactions because of the forthcoming governorship poll.

“The Commission’s preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources.

“The Commission cannot watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged. While the Commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state.

“It will be uncharitable for the Commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions,” it stated.

The EFCC further disclosed that Osun was not the only state under investigation, saying it was monitoring the finances of several state governments.

“It is equally needful to state that the Commission is keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State. Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the Commission to ensure accountability and probity.

“The Commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians. The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted,” the statement added.

The commission urged Nigerians to ignore what it described as false narratives surrounding the action.

“The public is enjoined to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonization of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the Commission,” it said.

The explanation came hours after Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, challenged EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede to publicly justify the freezing of the state’s accounts.

Speaking with journalists at the Government House in Osogbo on Wednesday, Adeleke described the action as illegal, insisting that it was carried out without a court order.

“All I ask is for the EFCC chairman to explain to the good people of Osun State and to Nigerians in general why he froze Osun State Government Account, and show proof to support whatever reason he presents,” the governor said.

He also directed the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada (SAN), to challenge the action at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.

Jimi-Bada argued that while the EFCC had the power to investigate government accounts, it lacked the authority to freeze them without first obtaining a court order. He said the state government would seek judicial redress.

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The Nigerian Army has placed a combined N60m bounty on two top leaders of the Islamic State West Africa Province, including the group’s governor, Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, and his deputy, Muhammad Jidda, after declaring them wanted over their alleged involvement in terrorist activities in the Lake Chad Basin.

Their identities were uncovered through forensic analysis of technical devices recovered during a recent military offensive against the terrorist group in the Lake Chad region.

The Acting Military Information Officer, Northeast Joint Taskforce Operation Hadin Kai, Capt Muhammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

While a N50m bounty was placed on the ISWAP governor, the military offered N10m for credible information leading to the arrest of his deputy, according to fliers attached to the statement.

According to Goni, their identities were obtained after a forensic exploitation of the recovered devices, including high-value intelligence materials and a camcorder.

The statement read, “Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) has recorded another significant breakthrough following recent successful offensive operations against ISWAP/ISIS terrorists in the Lake Chad region of Northern Borno State.”

He said during the operations, troops recovered several technical devices and other high-value intelligence materials, including a camcorder used by ISWAP terrorists to record propaganda videos and document operational activities.

“Subsequent forensic exploitation of the recovered devices generated actionable intelligence, leading to the identification of locations associated with terrorist activities as well as identities of several senior ISWAP leaders operating within the Mangari–Metele–Dogon Chukun axis along the fringes of the Lake Chad Basin in Abadam and Kukawa local government areas of Borno State.

“The identified terrorist leaders and key operatives include Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa – Wali (Governor of ISIS West Africa Province), his Deputy/Amirul Jaish Muhammad Jidda (“The One-Handed Man”) and Hamad Abu Hanifa, the Amirul-Fiya of ISWAP, among others,” he said.

He further noted that Operation Hadin Kai wished to specifically draw the attention of the public to Abu Musa Al-Mangawi Baa Shuwa, the ISWAP Wali, who remains the most wanted terrorist leader operating within the Lake Chad Basin.

“The military will offer a substantial financial reward to any individual whose credible and actionable information directly leads to his arrest,” he said.

Goni, however, assured that all information received would be treated with the utmost confidentiality, adding that informants would be fully protected in accordance with established security procedures.

“Operation Hadin Kai urges members of the public to support ongoing counter-terrorism efforts by providing credible and timely information that could assist security agencies in locating and apprehending these suspected terrorist operatives,” he stated.

The spokesman called on members of the public to report any relevant information through established security reporting channels or via 07084988859.

“Citizens are strongly advised not to confront or attempt to apprehend the suspected terrorists under any circumstances,” he said.

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has alleged that senior professors in Lagos State-owned universities now earn less in monthly remuneration than secondary school principals in the state’s public service.

The union described the situation as a reflection of the declining welfare of academics, while accusing the Lagos State Government of failing to implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement, subjecting lecturers to what it called “starvation wages,” increased tax deductions and alleged victimisation of union leaders.

The allegations were made on Wednesday during an emergency joint press conference by ASUU branches in Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), and Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), held at the ASUU Secretariat, LASU, Ojo.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, ASUU Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Oluwaseun Babalola, appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently implement the 2025 agreement in the state-owned universities.

He said the government’s failure to implement the agreement, eight months after its agreed commencement date of January 1, 2026, had worsened the condition of academic staff.

“We have invited you today to draw the attention of the Lagos State Government, the people of Lagos State, and indeed all Nigerians to the continued failure of the State Government to implement the provisions of the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU Agreement in its three public universities, despite the mutually agreed commencement date of January 1, 2026,” Babalola said.

To support the union’s claim on salary disparity, Babalola displayed what he described as a payslip of a secondary school principal showing a monthly earning of N799,000, insisting that no professor in LASU currently earns such an amount.

He also criticised increased tax deductions on lecturers despite the non-implementation of the new salary structure.

“Somebody that is already complaining of what he is earning is not enough. You are increasing your deduction,” he said.

Babalola added that associate professors and professors were paying over N120,000 monthly in tax deductions from salaries he described as inadequate.

The union also demanded the unconditional reinstatement of five ASUU-LASU executives dismissed between seven and nine years ago, alleging that they were punished for their union activities.

The affected officials include former Chairman, Dr. Isaac Oyewunmi; Vice Chairman, Dr. Suenu; Secretary, Dr. Tony Dansu; Assistant Secretary, Dr. Oyekan; and Treasurer, Dr. (Mrs.) Sonibare.

Babalola alleged that the affected officials were subjected to disciplinary actions over issues connected to their union activities.

Also speaking, ASUU-LASUED Chairman, Dr. Victor Akinola, said internal mechanisms for addressing grievances within the universities had become ineffective.

He alleged that complaints from unions to governing councils and relevant authorities often received no attention, leaving lecturers without effective channels for redress.

Akinola also alleged that threats from management had created an atmosphere of fear on campuses, discouraging some lecturers from participating in union activities.

Similarly, ASUU-LASUSTECH Chairman, Comrade Murisiku Onigemo, blamed irregular promotion exercises for low morale among academic staff.

He said promotion processes had not consistently followed established guidelines, affecting staff motivation and institutional growth.

The union called on the Lagos State Government to immediately implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU Agreement in all state-owned universities from January 1, 2026, address outstanding welfare issues, reinstate the dismissed ASUU-LASU leaders and stop what it described as victimisation of union officials.