The trial of former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his Finance Commissioner, Ademola Banu, commenced on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin. The duo face charges of allegedly mismanaging N5.78 billion earmarked for public projects, including funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Ahmed and Banu on October 21, 2024, on charges of conspiracy, theft, and misappropriation of public funds meant for teacher salaries, security, and infrastructural development. Both pleaded not guilty and were granted bail, paving the way for the trial to begin.
At Wednesday’s hearing, the EFCC presented its first witness, Abubakar Hassan, an Assistant Director of Finance at UBEC. Led by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Hassan detailed how funds allocated for primary and junior secondary schools between 2013 and 2015 were allegedly misappropriated under Ahmed’s administration.
Hassan testified that the Kwara State Government received a total of N5 billion in UBEC Matching Grants during the period in question. These grants, he explained, were intended for critical educational infrastructure, including classroom construction, laboratories, sanitation, and cultural education.
“The Matching Grant Funds are meant to provide infrastructure for primary and junior secondary schools,” Hassan said. “However, during project monitoring exercises, it was discovered that about N2 billion allocated for the 2013 projects had been diverted by the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).”
Hassan revealed that UBEC disbursed N2 billion for 2013, N876 million for 2014, and N982 million for 2015. While contractors had begun work on the 2013 projects, progress stalled due to the alleged diversion of funds.
Hassan explained the process for accessing UBEC funds, which requires state education boards to submit and defend action plans. Once approved, the funds are deposited in a Matching Grants Account jointly managed by the board’s chairman, executive secretary, and finance director.
“The Kwara SUBEB submitted and defended its action plan for 2013, and approval was granted. Contractors were mobilized, but we later discovered during monitoring that funds meant for these projects had been redirected,” Hassan stated.
Hassan lamented that the alleged mismanagement undermined UBEC’s objective of ensuring that no Nigerian child is denied access to basic education. “UBEC was established in 2004 to provide quality basic education from primary to junior secondary school levels,” he said.
The EFCC alleges that the diverted funds were used for purposes unrelated to education, contrary to UBEC’s mandate.
The trial continues as the prosecution seeks to present more evidence against Ahmed and Banu. The EFCC has vowed to ensure accountability and justice in the alleged misappropriation of public funds meant to uplift education in Kwara State.
Efforts to reach the defendants’ legal team for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.
