The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday intensified its case against former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, over the alleged diversion of N5.78 billion meant for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects.
At the resumed hearing before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, the anti-graft agency presented its sixth and seventh prosecution witnesses, along with additional documentary evidence aimed at establishing financial misconduct during Ahmed’s tenure.
Suleiman Oluwadare Ishola, who served as the state’s Accountant-General from 2013 to 2019, testified that officials of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) raised vouchers to borrow N1 billion out of UBEC matching grants received by the state in 2015.
He explained that although the funds were borrowed under the pretext of settling salary arrears and pension obligations, neither Ahmed nor Banu personally authorised or received any direct payments.
Ishola’s testimony corroborated earlier statements by Barrister Lanre Daibu, former SUBEB chairman, who admitted that the state government formally approved the controversial reallocation of UBEC funds.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, J. A. Mumini (SAN) and Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), Ishola stood by his earlier assertions, insisting due process was not followed in deploying the education grants for unrelated purposes.
The EFCC also called Stanley Ujilibo, an Assistant Commander and member of the investigation team, as its seventh witness.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Ujilibo disclosed that the Commission acted on a petition dated April 17, 2024, submitted by the Director of Public Prosecutions in Kwara State, Akande Idowu Ayoola.
According to Ujilibo, the petition alleged widespread diversion of funds meant for educational infrastructure across the state’s 16 local government areas.
He said the EFCC wrote to UBEC and received project documents and contractor details from Assistant Director Hassan Abubakar, covering the period between 2013 and 2015.
“States are required to contribute 50 percent counterpart funding before accessing UBEC grants.
“Our investigation revealed that some of the funds were used for recurrent expenditures like salaries, which violates the purpose for which they were disbursed,” Ujilibo told the court.
He added that bank statements from Polaris Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, where SUBEB maintained its accounts, were obtained to trace fund movement.
Several top state officials also gave voluntary statements during the probe, including former SUBEB Director of Physical Planning, Lanre Daibu; Engr. Abdulsalam Olarewaju; Dr. Musa Dasuki, a former SUBEB permanent secretary; and the then permanent secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Benjamin Fatigun.
Both Ahmed and Banu were also interrogated and gave statements without coercion, according to the EFCC.
Ahmed, who governed the state between 2011 and 2019, was arrested in 2024 following allegations of massive financial misappropriation.
The EFCC alleges that the N5.78 billion UBEC grant was mismanaged and diverted away from its intended purpose of improving basic education in the state.
Justice Abdulgafar adjourned the case till October 16 and 17, 2025, for continuation of hearing.
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