The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has defended its freezing of an Osun State Government account, even as human rights lawyer Femi Falana accused Nigerians of overlooking a more deadly crisis: at least 30 politically motivated killings in the state with no one charged in court.

The EFCC confirmed on Wednesday that it placed a Post No Debit restriction on an Osun State Government account domiciled with First Bank. The commission said the action followed investigations into the alleged fraudulent handling of about ₦11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations.

According to the EFCC, investigators noticed “precipitate and unwarranted” transfers from the account to multiple corporate entities beginning August 2, 2026.

EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, clarified that the restriction applied to only one account, not all state government accounts.

“The essence, like I said, is just to preserve that account because we observed suspicious activities on that account in terms of the transfer of funds to a number of entities within one week,” Uwujaren said on Arise Television on Thursday. “We have the responsibility under the law to do so because if we don’t take that step and, for instance, funds are looted from the account of the Osun State Government, I’m sure the Nigerian public will also ask, ‘Where was the EFCC when those funds were being moved?'”

The anti-graft agency said it has been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026, and several officials including the Accountant-General had already been questioned. The EFCC maintained the freeze was not politically motivated despite the August 15 governorship election.

President Bola Tinubu later directed the EFCC to vacate the order before the election. Falana, appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, said the EFCC acted within the law, citing the 2022 Court of Appeal judgment in the Benue State case and a 2024 Supreme Court ruling affirming the commission’s powers. “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,” Falana stated. “This matter was settled in the case of Attorney-General of Benue State and the EFCC in 2022”.

But the senior advocate shifted focus to a graver concern. “For me, the more serious issue that is not being addressed by Nigerians is that, in the last few weeks, not less than 30 human beings have been killed in Osun State, politically motivated killings,” Falana said. “I am not aware that any of those responsible have been charged in court.”

The Nigeria Police Force has reportedly begun investigating the 30 suspected politically motivated killings linked to the build-up to the August 15 election.

The Imole Campaign Council for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election listed specific victims including Kolade Eluyera, killed in Ikire on May 8, 2026; Ezekiel Olapade, murdered in Ilobu on June 21, 2026; and Ajayi Rogba, killed in Ẹsa-Òkè on June 23, 2026. A 14-year-old boy was also shot dead in Ilobu in June. Civil society groups reported 34 fatalities in 44 violent incidents between June 2025 and June 2026 across the state.

Governor Ademola Adeleke has written to President Tinubu alerting him to what he called “systematic repression, killing and incarceration of Osun residents”.

The Accord Party has also accused security agencies of failing to bring perpetrators to justice.

Falana welcomed the police decision to investigate the killings but warned that investigation alone is insufficient without prosecution.