A prominent civil society organisation has formally petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde over alleged mismanagement of a ₦30 billion federal intervention fund meant for victims of the January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan.
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) submitted the petition to EFCC Chairman Olanipekun Olukoyede, accusing the Oyo State Government of “diversion, misapplication and criminal breach of trust” in handling the relief funds released by the Federal Government. The funds were intended to support reconstruction, emergency relief, and compensation for victims of the devastating blast.
In its complaint dated January 5, 2026, HEDA highlighted that while roughly ₦4.5 billion had reportedly been applied toward direct support and compensation for explosion victims, the bulk of the ₦30 billion remains unaccounted for more than a year after its release. The organisation also noted that the funds were held in a commercial bank, accruing interest, without sufficient public disclosure on their status or use.
The petition referenced earlier public controversy sparked when former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose claimed on national television that the federal government had released ₦50 billion to the Oyo State Government for the disaster response — an assertion the Makinde administration has challenged. HEDA expressed concern that questions around the relief funds have persisted without adequate transparency from the state government.
The group argued that the lack of a detailed and transparent accounting of the intervention funds raises “serious concerns bordering on corruption, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, criminal breach of trust and possible money laundering,” issues that fall within the EFCC’s mandate. HEDA urged the anti‐graft agency to conduct a “comprehensive, impartial and professional investigation” into the receipt, management, and utilisation of all federal relief funds tied to the Bodija explosion.
Responding to the allegations, Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, reiterated that while the federal government approved a ₦50 billion support package, only ₦30 billion was released to the state. He maintained that the ₦30 billion remains intact in a special intervention account, awaiting the release of the promised balance of ₦20 billion, and that the state has so far disbursed only a fraction as direct support to victims.
Government officials have stressed that Oyo State has shouldered much of the recovery efforts from its own budget, spending over ₦24 billion on infrastructure reconstruction and relief work in the Bodija area while awaiting the remainder of the federal funds. The Commissioner suggested that the ongoing public debate over the relief funds might be politically motivated, particularly given the approaching 2027 general elections.
The dispute has also drawn sharp criticism from political figures. Ayodele Fayose and other critics have pressed Makinde to return the federal funds — along with interest — arguing that the money should be deployed immediately to benefit victims rather than remain idle in a bank account. They contend that keeping the relief funds untouched undermines the intent of the intervention.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has called on the governor to account for what it alleges is a ₦50 billion relief fund, intensifying political pressures on the state administration to clarify the matter.
HEDA’s petition also highlighted that while Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution grants sitting governors immunity from prosecution, this legal protection does not bar investigations into financial improprieties involving public funds. The group insists the EFCC can and should probe the relief funds’ management to ensure accountability.
As the EFCC considers the petition, the controversy underscores broader concerns about transparency, governance, and the effective use of federal disaster relief funds in Nigeria. Stakeholders and the public will be watching closely to see whether the anti‐corruption agency takes up the probe and what implications it might have for political and administrative accountability in Oyo State.
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