A leading anti-corruption organization has formally requested Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the alleged mismanagement of N30 billion in federal relief funds allocated to Oyo State following the catastrophic January 2024 Bodija explosion in Ibadan.
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, in a petition dated January 5, 2026, is calling for a transparent accounting of the substantial sum, citing public concerns that only a fraction has reached victims or reconstruction efforts.
“The organisation is concerned that only about N4.5bn intervention funds were reportedly applied to relief and compensation for victims, while the entire N30bn remains largely unaccounted for,” stated the petition, signed by HEDA Chairman Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju and addressed to EFCC Chairman Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede.
Public scrutiny of the funds intensified after former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose claimed during a televised interview that N50 billion had been released to the state.
The Oyo State Government later acknowledged receiving N30 billion but stated the funds remained untouched pending the receipt of an additional N20 billion balance.
Recall that this disclosure has sparked outrage among survivors of the disaster, who have decried existing compensation as inadequate and are demanding the immediate release and proper application of the federal intervention.
HEDA’s petition frames the situation as a potential case of “diversion, misapplication and criminal breach of trust,” urging the EFCC to compel the state government to provide a full public account of all funds received, their expenditure, and the status of any remaining balance.
The group emphasized that while constitutional immunity protects sitting governors from prosecution, it does not shield them or their administrations from investigation into the handling of public resources.
“Constitutional immunity does not preclude investigation, particularly in issues relating to accountability and the management of public resources,” the petition noted, charging the anti-graft agency to launch a “thorough, impartial and professional” probe.
