EFCC witness details how ₦5.78bn Kwara UBEC grant was diverted to salaries, loans, roads

Fresh details emerged on Monday at the Kwara State High Court as the trial of former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, resumed over the alleged misapplication of ₦5.78 billion released by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

Testifying before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar, the sixth prosecution witness and an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Stanley Ujilibo, told the court that UBEC funds allocated to Kwara State for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 fiscal years were allegedly not utilised in line with the approved action plans submitted by the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

Ahmed and Banu are standing trial on charges brought by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, which alleges that a portion of the ₦5.78 billion UBEC matching grants released to the state was diverted for purposes unrelated to basic education.

Led in evidence by Adebisi Adeniyi of the chambers of Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Ujilibo explained that SUBEB had initially fulfilled all conditions required for the release of the funds. According to him, the board prepared comprehensive action plans detailing proposed projects across the state and also demonstrated evidence of counterpart funding.

“My Lord, a team of officials from the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, comprising the Chairman, Director, Finance and Account, Project Manager and top management officials went to Abuja to defend the action plans for 2013, 2014 and 2015, stating the deplorable state of Kwara State Primary and Junior Secondary Education across the 16 Local Government Areas of the State”, Ujilibo told the court.

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However, the witness said investigations by the EFCC revealed that after the funds were released, they were transferred from the designated UBEC matching grant accounts into the Kwara State Government’s central account maintained with a commercial bank.

Ujilibo further testified that parts of the money were spent on infrastructure projects unrelated to basic education. He listed projects including the reconstruction of Omosebi Bridge, Coca-Cola Road Bridge, Michael Imodu/Afon Junction Road, Lafiaji Township Road, as well as the rehabilitation of the Ilorin water supply network, noting that none of them had a direct connection to primary or junior secondary education.

He also disclosed that ₦952,297,297.30, representing the UBEC allocation for 2014, was allegedly applied to the liquidation of a loan principal.

According to the witness, another request, allegedly signed by the second defendant, Banu, sought approval to access a ₦1 billion loan from SUBEB counterpart funds to supplement the payment of workers’ salaries.

Ujilibo told the court that the redirection of the funds meant that resources earmarked for classrooms, learning facilities and improved conditions for pupils in public primary and junior secondary schools were ultimately expended outside their statutory purpose and without any direct benefit to schoolchildren.

At the close of the prosecution’s examination-in-chief, Justice Abdulgafar adjourned proceedings until April 20, 2026, for the defence to cross-examine the witness.

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