The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has not frozen any account belonging to the Akwa Ibom State Government in any bank.

The commission cleared the air on the matter following claims by the Akwa Ibom State Information Commissioner, Charles Udoh on Wednesday night that the accounts of the state had been frozen by the anti-graft agency.

A top official of the EFCC told newsmen on Thursday that the agency had not frozen any account belonging to the state in any bank either within or outside the shores of Nigeria.

The top officer challenged the purveyors of the information to name the details of the accounts reportedly frozen, the banks in which they were domiciled as well as the amounts contained in the various accounts.

The officer maintained that there was no reason for the EFCC to freeze the accounts since Akwa Ibom State government and the Commission were already in the Court of Appeal over the movements of state funds.

“The case is already at the Appeal Court since they challenged our powers to investigate the accounts of the state and the matter has not yet been determined and we cannot embark on self help.

“So, we challenge the state government to name the banks in which the accounts were reportedly frozen, the account numbers and the amount standing in the accounts to prove to the world that indeed what they are saying is true.

“We believe strongly that some elements are deliberately trying to blackmail the EFCC by boldly lying against the commission all in a veiled bid to drag it into politics. This is quite unfortunate and a disservice to this country,” the official said.

Similarly, following  public outcry and condemnation which trailed the reported freezing of accounts of Benue and Akwa Ibom states, the anti-graft agency is said unfrozen the accounts of the Benue State Government. This claim was made on Thursday by a spokesman of the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

Recall that the Zamfara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Abdulaziz Yari and other prominent Nigerians had condemned the spate of freezing of accounts of state governments by the EFCC as recently witnessed by  Benue and Akwa Ibom.