Osun Account Freezing: Government Describes Court Order As Deceitful and Non-Disclosure, Moves To Vacate Decree
Osun State Government has filed an application before the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking to set aside an ex-parte order made on September 9, 2026, which led to the freezing of state accounts.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the government said the order was procured through deceit and the concealment of material facts by Gamji Nigeria Company Limited. The government also argued that the order does not accord with public policy.
The application to vacate the order was filed before the Federal High Court on October 2, 2026.
According to the statement, the arbitration award which Gamji sought to enforce is also fraught with irregularities. The State Government said its legal team had approached the High Court of Lagos State to set aside the award.
The government noted that the purported award referenced in the September 9 ex-parte order does not exist, as there was no arbitral award made against the state in July 2024. It added that the only arbitral award against the state was in July 2026, and that award is currently being challenged before the Lagos State High Court.
Giving the background of the dispute, the government said the matter arose from a 2017 contract under the former Oyetola administration. Gamji Nigeria Company Limited had made a variation request and claimed that the Osun State Government was indebted to it to the tune of $15,982,638.22. The administration denied the claim.
The matter proceeded to arbitration. The state government alleged that the process was deliberately mismanaged to favour Gamji, and that the state was denied fair hearing and full participation as required by best practice in arbitration.
The irregularities in the arbitration proceedings and in the final award have been submitted to the Lagos State High Court, the government said.
The Commissioner stated that counsel to the state government filed a suit to set aside the arbitral award at the Lagos State High Court on September 1, 2026, prior to when Gamji approached the Federal High Court. Alongside the originating motion, a motion on notice was also filed to suspend the execution of the award pending the determination of the suit. Both documents were duly served on Gamji and its counsel.
The government expressed disappointment that despite being served, Gamji furtively approached the Federal High Court in Lagos to enforce the same award. It said Gamji failed to disclose to the Federal High Court that the validity of the award was being challenged and that an application to suspend execution had been served.
The motion on notice to set aside the September 9 order has been presented before the Federal High Court, and the alleged deceptive conduct of Gamji has been brought to the attention of the court.
The government said that since the matter is sub judice, it will refrain from making further prejudicial comments on the merit of the case.
The Osun State Government reassured the public that necessary legal steps are ongoing to vacate the order and to ensure that the rights of the state are protected through judicial review of the arbitration award.