The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday presented a witness, Abubakar Hassan, in the ongoing trial of Abdulfatah Ahmed, the immediate past Governor of Kwara State.
Ahmed, along with his former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, is facing charges of alleged theft and mismanagement of Kwara State funds.
The duo is accused of conspiring to divert funds allocated for the payment of teachers’ salaries under the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), among other things.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development in a statement, noting that the trial had resumed.
Oyewale stated that the former governor and his commissioner, who were arraigned in October 2024, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“The Matching Grant Funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) are intended to provide various infrastructural facilities for primary and junior secondary schools,” the statement outlined.
“These facilities include the construction of school buildings, provision of laboratories, toilets, water and sanitation facilities, and cultural education initiatives.”
Hassan testified that the Universal Basic Education Commission provided funds to Kwara State in 2013, 2014, and 2015, amounting to approximately ₦5 billion. This comprised ₦2 billion in 2013, ₦876 million in 2014, and ₦982 million in 2015.
“The implementation of the 2013 Action Plan had already commenced, and contractors had been mobilised to the site. However, during our project monitoring exercise, we discovered that funds allocated for the 2013 projects had been diverted by Kwara SUBEB,” Hassan revealed.
He further stated that about ₦2 billion had been misappropriated, prompting the project monitoring committee to send a report to Kwara SUBEB, urging them to address the identified issues. Despite this, no corrective action was taken.
The presiding judge, Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar, has adjourned the trial to 17 February 2025 for further hearings.
