Oyo Government Dismisses Politics as NGO Petitions EFCC Over N30bn Relief Fund

The Oyo State Government has dismissed allegations surrounding the management of a N30bn federal intervention fund released after the January 2024 Bodija explosion, describing the controversy as politically driven.

The response followed a petition by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, alleging diversion and misapplication of the fund meant for victim compensation, reconstruction and emergency relief.

In the petition, HEDA claimed that only about N4.5bn had been applied to relief efforts, while the bulk of the N30bn remained unaccounted for. The group raised concerns about transparency and demanded a full investigation into the handling of the funds.

Reacting, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, said the government’s position remained unchanged, insisting that the N30bn had not been spent.

According to him, the state government had earlier clarified that it received N30bn, not N50bn as earlier alleged, and decided to keep the funds untouched pending receipt of the balance expected from the Federal Government.

Oyelade said the state had already spent over N4bn on direct support and compensation for victims, in addition to committing about N24bn from its own resources to rebuild Bodija and surrounding areas.

He suggested that renewed agitation over the funds was linked to emerging political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections, adding that the government was prepared to defend its actions.

HEDA, however, insisted that constitutional immunity does not shield a sitting governor from investigation, urging the EFCC to probe the receipt, management and utilisation of all federal intervention funds released to the state.