The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday brought forward additional witnesses in the ongoing trial of former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his ex-Finance Commissioner, Ademola Banu. Both men are standing trial over alleged misappropriation of N5.78 billion earmarked for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects.
The case, which resumed before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, featured further testimonies and documents from the EFCC aimed at substantiating the alleged mismanagement of UBEC funds during Ahmed’s tenure as governor.
One of the witnesses, Suleiman Oluwadare Ishola, who held the post of Accountant-General of Kwara State from 2013 to 2019, told the court that officials from the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) processed vouchers to borrow N1 billion.
He stated that the borrowed sum was part of a UBEC matching grant accessed by the state government in 2015. Although the money was officially borrowed to cover salaries and pensions, Ishola noted that neither Ahmed nor Banu directly authorised the withdrawal or received payments.
His statement mirrored earlier claims by Lanre Daibu, former SUBEB Chairman, who previously testified that the state government gave formal consent for the use of UBEC funds to offset salary arrears.
During cross-examination by defence lawyers J. A. Mumini (SAN) and Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), Ishola stood by his initial statements.
The EFCC also presented its seventh witness, Stanley Ujilibo, an Assistant Commander at the Commission and part of the investigation team.
Led in his testimony by EFCC lead counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Ujilibo said their investigation commenced after receiving a petition dated April 17, 2024. The petition, authored by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Akande Idowu Ayoola, on behalf of Kwara State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, alleged a large-scale diversion of UBEC funds meant for educational projects across all 16 local government areas.
Ujilibo testified that the EFCC contacted UBEC, requesting documentation on the affected projects. In response, Hassan Abubakar, an Assistant Director at UBEC, forwarded detailed records for projects spanning 2013 to 2015, including contractor lists and project scopes.
He explained that for any state to access UBEC funding, it must contribute a 50 percent counterpart sum. The EFCC, he said, traced the transactions through SUBEB accounts domiciled at Polaris Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, analysing both project documentation and bank statements.
According to him, several top government officials voluntarily provided statements during the probe. These included Lanre Daibu (SUBEB’s Director of Physical Planning), Engineer Abdulsalam Olarewaju, Dr. Musa Dasuki (former SUBEB Permanent Secretary), Accountant-General Ishola, and Mr. Benjamin Fatigun, the then Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance.
Ujilibo further revealed that both Ahmed and Banu were also questioned and gave written statements at the EFCC office in the presence of their respective legal representatives without any pressure or intimidation.
Former Governor Ahmed, who served from 2011 to 2019, was arrested by the EFCC earlier this year over allegations of widespread financial impropriety during his time in office.
The Commission alleges that funds allocated by UBEC for the development of basic education infrastructure were either diverted or used for non-permitted expenses such as paying salaries—actions that breach the guidelines of the UBEC scheme.
The court has adjourned the matter to October 16 and 17, 2025, for further proceedings.
Stay updated with more breaking stories via our WhatsApp Channel:
đź”— https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VabITrvEAKW7DSkTfP0J
Chronicles Reporters