EFCC Presents More Witnesses Against Ex-Kwara Governor Ahmed Over Alleged N5.78Billion UBEC Fraud
The trial, which resumed before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, saw the EFCC tender more testimonies and documentary evidence aimed at establishing the alleged diversion of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds during Ahmed’s tenure as governor.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented additional witnesses on Tuesday in the ongoing trial of the immediate past Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, over an alleged N5.78 billion fraud.
The trial, which resumed before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, saw the EFCC tender more testimonies and documentary evidence aimed at establishing the alleged diversion of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds during Ahmed’s tenure as governor.
The sixth prosecution witness, Suleiman Oluwadare Ishola, who served as Kwara State’s Accountant-General between 2013 and 2019, reiterated his earlier testimony that vouchers to borrow N1 billion were raised by officials of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
He told the court that the amount in question was part of a UBEC matching grant accessed by the Kwara State Government in 2015.
Ishola also told the court that although the fund was ostensibly borrowed to pay salaries and pensions, neither of the two defendants, Ahmed nor Banu, personally authorised the vouchers or received direct payments from the borrowed funds.
His testimony echoed that of Barrister Lanre Daibu, the former SUBEB Chairman, who had earlier confirmed that formal approval was given by the state government to utilise the UBEC funds for salary obligations.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel J. A. Mumini (SAN) and Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), Ishola maintained his position.
The EFCC further presented its seventh witness, Stanley Ujilibo, an Assistant Commander of the Commission and a member of the investigation team.
Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Ujilibo told the court that the EFCC began its probe following a petition dated April 17, 2024, signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Akande Idowu Ayoola, on behalf of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Kwara State.
Ujilibo said the petition alleged massive diversion of UBEC funds earmarked for educational infrastructure across the state’s 16 local government areas.
He told the court that during the investigation, the EFCC wrote to UBEC, requesting relevant documents and project details.
According to Ujilibo, UBEC responded through Hassan Abubakar, an Assistant Director, who provided documents covering project plans and contractor information for the 2013–2015 period.
He said that states are expected to provide a 50% counterpart fund before being granted access to UBEC resources.
Ujilibo added that the EFCC obtained project defence records and bank statements from Polaris Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, where the SUBEB accounts were domiciled, to track the movement and usage of the funds.
He stated that several senior government officials were invited and gave voluntary statements, including Lanre Daibu (Director of Physical Planning at SUBEB), Engr. Abdulsalam Olarewaju, Dr. Musa Dasuki (former SUBEB Permanent Secretary), Accountant-General Ishola, and the then Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Benjamin Fatigun.
Ujilibo added that Ahmed and Banu also appeared before the EFCC and gave statements in the presence of their legal representatives, without any coercion
The former governor, Ahmed, who was in office from 2011 to 2019, was arrested by the EFCC in 2024 following allegations of large-scale financial mismanagement during his administration.
The EFCC alleged that UBEC grants intended for basic education projects were either diverted or used for non-designated purposes, including payment of recurrent expenditure such as salaries, an action deemed contrary to the terms of the UBEC grant scheme.
The case has been adjourned to October 16 and 17, 2025, for continuation of hearing.
