Osun Govt Sues UBA, Executives Over Alleged Illegal LG Accounts

Osun Govt Sues UBA, Executives Over Alleged Illegal LG Accounts

A Chief Magistrate Court in Osogbo, Osun State, has fixed January 30 for the hearing of a criminal case instituted by the Osun State Government against United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and four of its senior officials over the alleged illegal opening and operation of local government accounts.

The case, filed before the Chief Magistrate Court, Osogbo Magisterial District, is marked Charge No: MOS/601c/2025. The defendants are UBA Plc, its Group Managing Director, Mr Oliver Alawuba, Company Secretary and Group Legal Adviser, Mr Billy Odum, and Deputy Managing Director, Mr Chukwuma Nweke.

According to the charge sheet, the state government slammed a 31-count charge against the bank and its officials, with each count linked to alleged infractions involving the opening and operation of accounts for the 30 local government councils in Osun State.

In the first count, the prosecution alleged that the defendants, on or about December 9, 2025, and on subsequent dates, at UBA’s Osun State branch in the Olonkoro area of Osogbo, conspired to commit a felony by opening, operating and maintaining what were described as illegal Osun State Local Government Council accounts.

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The offence is said to have occurred within the Osogbo Magisterial District and is alleged to be contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

The defendants were further accused of permitting the opening, operation and maintenance of local government accounts with unknown private individuals as signatories, despite the Local Government Service Commission having formally introduced the Directors of Administration and General Services and Directors of Finance of the councils as the authorised signatories to the statutory accounts.

The prosecution said the alleged actions contravened Sections 2 and 3 (1) and (2) and are punishable under Section 5 (1) and (2) of the Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Law, 2025.

Court documents revealed that the remaining counts similarly relate to the alleged unlawful opening and operation of accounts linked to all the 30 local government councils in the state.

At the last sitting, the Chief Magistrate, A. A. Adeyeba, ordered that the defendants be served through their email addresses and other forms of substituted service, before adjourning the case to January 30 for hearing.

As of the time of filing this report, no plea had been taken, and UBA had yet to issue an official public response to the charges.

The case is expected to draw significant public and legal attention, given its potential implications for local government finances and the involvement of one of Nigeria’s leading commercial banks.

Osun Govt Sues UBA, Executives Over Alleged Illegal LG Accounts