Osun govt challenges order freezing state accounts

The Osun State Government has approached the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking the setting aside of an ex-parte order freezing some of its accounts, alleging that the order was obtained through the concealment of material facts by Gamji Nigeria Company Limited.

The state government, in an application filed on October 2, 2026, is challenging the order made by the Federal High Court on September 9, 2026, arguing that it was procured through what it described as “deceit and substantial non-disclosure of material facts.”

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the government also challenged the arbitration award upon which the account-freezing order was reportedly based.

According to the statement, the state government’s legal team had already approached the Lagos State High Court to challenge the validity of the arbitral award before Gamji approached the Federal High Court to enforce it.

The government said the suit challenging the award was filed on September 1, 2026, alongside a motion on notice seeking to suspend execution of the award pending the determination of the case.

It alleged that Gamji Nigeria Company Limited was duly served with the court processes but failed to disclose to the Federal High Court that the award was already being challenged before the Lagos State High Court.

The government further disputed the reference to a July 2024 arbitral award in the September 9 order, saying there was no such award against the state at that time.

It stated that the only arbitral award against the state was issued in July 2026 and that the award was already being challenged before the Lagos State High Court.

The government traced the underlying dispute to a 2017 contract entered into during the administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, saying the disagreement arose, among other issues, from a variation request by Gamji.

It said the dispute included a claim that the state government was indebted to Gamji Nigeria Company Limited to the tune of $15,982,638.22, an amount the government said remained contested.

According to the government, the subsequent arbitration process was characterised by irregularities and alleged denial of fair hearing and full participation by the state.

The government said those alleged irregularities are among the issues now before the Lagos State High Court in its bid to set aside the arbitral award.

It maintained that Gamji’s decision to approach the Federal High Court while the award was already being challenged constituted a material omission that ought to have been disclosed to the court.

The state government said it had formally presented its motion seeking to set aside the September 9 order and had brought the alleged non-disclosure to the attention of the Federal High Court.

It, however, said it would refrain from making further comments on the merits of the dispute because the matter is sub judice.

The government assured residents that it was taking necessary legal steps to vacate the order and protect the interests of the state through judicial review of the arbitration award.