The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has said that it is investigating alleged mismanagement of public funds in about 18 states across the country.
The Director of Public Affairs for the
anti-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren, while speaking on Arise Television on Thursday, said will not the identify the affected states, saying doing so could compromise ongoing investigations.
He disclosed that the probe of state governments’ accounts across the country is not restricted to Osun State.
“Like we said in the statement, there are about 18 other states that we have ongoing investigations,” he said.
Pressed to disclose the states involved, Uwujaren replied: “I don’t want to start mentioning those states by name now.”
He rejected suggestions that the commission was shielding any government, insisting the decision was purely to safeguard the integrity of the investigations.
“Not running away per se, but not to jeopardise the investigation that is currently ongoing,” he said.
He maintained that the commission acts strictly within the law and does not single out any administration.
“So this is not targeted at any particular government. We are simply doing our work under the law.”
He explained that only one statutory account belonging to the Osun State Government had been temporarily restricted, stressing that other government accounts remained operational.
“We only targeted one statutory account, which is restricted, temporary restriction on that account. And it does not stop the government from operating other accounts that they have. It’s only one account that is frozen for now.”
