A prominent human rights organisation, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence the immediate criminal prosecution of former Osun State Governor, Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, over alleged diversion of over âŠ600 billion in Local Government funds during his eight-year tenure.
Aregbesola, who governed Osun State between 2010 and 2018, was accused of mismanaging funds accrued to the state from the federation account â particularly allocations meant for the local councils â through what the group described as âphantom projectsâ executed under his administration.
According to CHRSJ, which leads a coalition of civil society organisations under the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS) â once chaired by the late Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman (aka Revolutionary Alfa) â several petitions had been filed against Aregbesola since 2015.
The petitions, dated September 4, 2015, June 17, 2016, and November 19, 2018, reportedly detailed extensive evidence of financial misappropriation. Additional petitions sent to the Presidency and National Assembly on March 21 and April 4, 2016, were also acknowledged by relevant authorities and international organisations at the time.
CHRSJâs Deputy General Secretary, Comrade Abiola Ganiyu (Dove), disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the group intends to resubmit its demands to the EFCC for Aregbesolaâs prosecution, expressing disappointment that the agency had âturned a deaf earâ to earlier complaints despite credible evidence.
The rights group alleged that Aregbesola, along with his then Commissioners for Finance and Local Government Affairs, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro and Mr. Kolapo Alimi, diverted Local Government allocations by illegally suspending elected local council administrations between 2011 and 2014.
According to CHRSJ, this move allowed the trio to control and misappropriate local government resources, allegedly amounting to over âŠ600 billion.
The organisation claimed that both Bolorunduro and Alimi had at one time been placed on administrative bail by the EFCC during earlier stages of investigation. It further alleged that Aregbesola could only account for âŠ6 billion out of âŠ300 billion allocated to local councils during his first term in office.
Group Questions Aregbesolaâs Moral Standing
CHRSJ described Aregbesolaâs administration as âclueless and corruption personified,â accusing him of plunging Osun State into crippling debt and creating a legacy of unpaid salaries and pensions.
The group said: âAregbesola should stop claiming to be a saint or champion of good governance. During his time as governor, he exhibited no prudence in managing the stateâs resources, especially local government funds.â
The statement further recalled that during his tenure, the former governor introduced half-salary payments to public workers and retirees, a policy that earned him the local moniker âBaba Hafusaâ among aggrieved citizens.
The CHRSJ vowed to send a renewed petition to the EFCC leadership to reopen investigations and prosecute Aregbesola over his alleged âbad stewardshipâ as governor.
âWe have concluded arrangements to formally write the EFCC, urging them to revisit all pending petitions and begin immediate prosecution without delay,â the groupâs statement read.
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