The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced an investigation into the alleged mismanagement of internally generated revenue (IGR) and abuse of office, among others, against the Chairman of Oluyole Local Government Area in Oyo State, Engr. Akeem Olatunji.
It was gathered that the LG Chairman, under the watch of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, was recently invited for preliminary questioning, alongside his Chief of Staff (CoS), Mr. Azeez Babalola, who was also recently invited for questioning at the Ibadan Office of the anti-graft agency.
The investigation follows a petition (EFCC/PET/HQR/4247/2025) submitted by a concerned indigene, alleging gross financial irregularities, diversion of public funds, procurement violations, and unlawful land transactions between May 2024 and July 2025.
The concerned petitioner alleged offences include excessive spending on security without proper justification and the disbursement of staff palliatives despite already receiving the Governor-approved 13th-month salary.
Other allegations, being investigated by the EFCC, include questionable land transactions at Odo Ona Kekere with suspicious payments into Babalola’s bank account; and unapproved expenditure on party/ Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Day Celebration, a clear violation of public funds usage guidelines.
The Oyo State House of Assembly had previously received petitions against the local government chairman, but no tangible actions were taken.
Sources claim Olatunji bragged about his connections, saying “there’s nothing EFCC could do to him” during a security meeting, showcasing a pattern of impunity.
Residents demand accountability, urging the EFCC to ensure proper investigation and take necessary actions to recover misappropriated funds while ensuring transparency in governance in the state.
However, for more than a week, our correspondent made frantic efforts to reach out to the LG Chairman for comments, but he did not make himself available for comments.
Text messages were also sent to Olatunji’s phone number, awaiting his response to the allegations in the petitions, but he neither acknowledged receipt of the text message nor responded to the development.
In July 2025, a petition was submitted against Olatunji, alleging all kinds of atrocities and governmental abnormalities happening in the Oluyole local government under his watch.
The petition addressed to the Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftancy Matters, was signed by six persons led by the former leader of the House in the LGA, Hon. Akanni Taiwo Isiah and addressed the Oyo State Anti-corruption Agency (OYACA); Oyo State PDP Secretariat, Molete, Ibadan and the Oyo State House of Assembly (OYSHA).
Others in copy in the petition are the Oyo State Ministry of Justice; Office of the Governor, Oyo State; Office of the Secretary to the State Governor; the Department of Security Service (DSS); Office of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State; the Nigerian Police and the Office of the Accountant General, Oyo State.
The petitioners claimed that “Despite all efforts and interventions of well- meaning personalities and party big wigs, Akeem Olatunji continue to run the affairs of the council as his personal estate.
“It’s essential to officially inform your ministry about some of the wrongdoings of the council boss, to call him to order and save the face of the party in this critical political situation.”
They also alleged that Olatunji was using some of the staff members of the Ministry as instruments of division and destabilisation in Oluyole local government.
