Tinubu, EFCC Boss Meet on Seized Houses After Osun Freeze Row

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday met with the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, at the State House, Abuja.

 

The meeting focused on the management and disposal of houses seized nationwide by the anti-graft agency, according to a statement and photographs released by the State House media office.

 

The statement read, “Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Olanipekun Ola Olukoyede, and Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the management and disposal of seized houses nationwide, under the rules of transparency and Accountability at the State House, Abuja. Tuesday, August 18, 2026.”

 

The meeting marked the first public engagement between Tinubu and Olukoyede since the President publicly directed the EFCC to reverse its action freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government earlier this month.

 

The EFCC had on August 5 obtained a court order freezing the state’s accounts over an investigation into the alleged mismanagement of ecology funds, intervention funds and allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, amounting to about N11bn.

 

The Osun State Government challenged the order at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking its nullification and N2bn in exemplary damages, while accusing the EFCC of conducting a “witch-hunt” against the state.

 

Two days later, Tinubu directed the EFCC to return to court and vacate the freeze order, saying he was “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,” which came 10 days before the August 15 governorship election.

 

The President said he had avoided interfering in the EFCC’s operational activities but would not allow any federal institution to create the impression that it was being used to influence the election.

 

Governor Ademola Adeleke subsequently won re-election in the poll.

 

Following his victory, Adeleke disclosed that he had directed the state’s Attorney General to withdraw the suit against the EFCC, crediting Tinubu’s intervention with resolving the matter.

 

“I’m putting them behind. What else do I want? I have instructed my Attorney General to drop it. Mr President has done well. He called me. What more do I want?” Adeleke said.