The ongoing trial of former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his erstwhile Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, took a significant turn on Monday as an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) provided a granular breakdown of how ₦5.78 billion meant for primary education was allegedly diverted.
Testifying before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, Stanley Ujilibo, the sixth prosecution witness, revealed that funds earmarked for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) between 2013 and 2015 were systematically moved from dedicated accounts into the state’s central treasury.
Education Funds vs. Infrastructure Projects
According to Ujilibo, while the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) had successfully pitched a “deplorable” state of primary and junior secondary schools to the Federal Government to secure the grants, the money was ultimately not used for classrooms or pupils.
Instead, the EFCC witness testified that the funds were channeled into high-profile civil engineering projects, including:
- The reconstruction of the Omosebi Bridge and Coca-Cola Road Bridge.
- Roadworks on the Michael Imodu/Afon Junction and Lafiaji Township Road.
- The rehabilitation of the Ilorin water supply network.
Ujilibo emphasized that these projects, while public-facing, had “no direct link to basic education,” violating the statutory mandate of the matching grants.
Salaries and Loan Liquidations
The revelations grew more specific regarding the 2014 allocation. The witness informed the court that approximately ₦952.3 million of the UBEC fund was used for the “principal liquidation of a loan.”
Furthermore, the prosecution presented evidence of a request allegedly signed by Ademola Banu, seeking approval to “borrow” ₦1 billion from the SUBEB counterpart funds specifically to augment the payment of state workers’ salaries.
Legal Path Ahead
The EFCC maintains that the defendants diverted the ₦5.78 billion contrary to the purpose for which the Federal Government released the matching grants. Following the conclusion of the examination-in-chief, Justice Abdulgafar adjourned the case until April 20, 2026, for the cross-examination of the witness.
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