A witness has alleged that Abdulfatah Ahmed, former governor of Kwara State, allegedly misappropriated N5 billion allocated to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) during his tenure.
This revelation came during a court hearing on Wednesday at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin, presided over by Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar.
The trial, which also involves Ademola Banu, former commissioner for finance, focuses on the alleged theft and mismanagement of N5.78 billion in public funds.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), funds meant for teachers’ salaries, security measures, and infrastructural projects under the state’s Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) were allegedly diverted between 2013 and 2015.
The former governor and his finance commissioner, who were arraigned on October 21, 2024, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail.
At the resumed hearing, the EFCC presented its first witness, Abubakar Hassan, an assistant director of finance at UBEC. Led by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, Hassan detailed how the Kwara State Government allegedly mismanaged UBEC funds meant for improving primary and junior secondary education.
Hassan revealed that the funds—N2 billion in 2013, N876 million in 2014, and N982 million in 2015 —were allocated for constructing classrooms, providing laboratory equipment, building toilets, and implementing water and sanitation projects.
While these funds were approved after the state submitted and defended its action plans, Hassan stated that about N2 billion meant for the 2013 projects was diverted.
“Contractors had already been mobilized, but during a project monitoring exercise, we discovered that the funds had been diverted by the Kwara SUBEB,” Hassan testified.
The witness further disclosed that, following the discovery, UBEC instructed Kwara SUBEB to comply with recommendations from the project monitoring committee, but no response was received. As a result, UBEC wrote to banks to recall funds allocated for 2014 and 2015.
“There were no activities for 2016, 2017, and 2018 because the state failed to address the issues raised about the diverted funds,” Hassan added.
Established in 2004, UBEC’s mandate is to ensure no Nigerian child is denied access to basic education.
Justice Abdulgafar adjourned the case to February 17, 2025, for further hearing.
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