Court Stops EFCC From Probing Oyo Gov’t Finances

A Federal High Court has ruled in favour of the Oyo State Government, setting aside a request by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking extensive financial records from the state and declaring that the anti-graft agency cannot conduct a blanket investigation without specific allegations.

The case arose after the EFCC wrote to the Oyo State Accountant-General on June 2, 2025, demanding copies of all contracts involving the state and details of all transactions and payments made to contractors from 2021 up to the date of the letter.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the commission argued that it was acting within its statutory powers to obtain information for investigative purposes.

Oyo State, through its legal team led by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Abiodun Aikomo, challenged the request in court, describing it as oppressive, unreasonable and excessively broad. The state argued that complying with the request would impose an undue burden because of the large number of contracts and transactions carried out during the period covered by the EFCC’s letter.

During the proceedings, EFCC counsel I.G. Ojibor, who led S. Adamu, relied on Section 38 of the EFCC Act, 2004, arguing that the law empowers the commission to demand and receive information from any person, authority, corporation or company without hindrance. The commission maintained that the provision gave it the authority to carry out a broad investigation into the state’s finances.

However, Justice Maha rejected the EFCC’s position and ruled in favour of the Oyo State Government. The court set aside the commission’s letter dated June 2, 2025, and held that any request made by the EFCC must be reasonable and linked to specific allegations rather than amounting to a blanket demand for financial records.

The judgment means the EFCC cannot compel the Oyo State Government to produce the requested documents based on the letter that was challenged in court.

The ruling comes months after Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). Makinde announced his ambition in May during a joint rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APM in Ibadan, where he said the country needed a new direction.

“The time to reset Nigeria is now. Therefore, today, I, Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, announce my candidacy for the position of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the governor had declared.

He also announced a political alliance between his PDP faction in Oyo State and the APM, saying the partnership would enable the opposition to field candidates for all elective positions in the 2027 general election.