A witness in the ongoing trial of former Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, told the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Thursday that N1bn from the Universal Basic Education Commission Matching Grant was diverted to pay workers’ salaries and pensions in 2015—and was never repaid.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting the former governor on 14 counts related to the alleged misappropriation and theft of N5.78bn in UBEC funds.
According to a statement by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the fourth prosecution witness, Lanre Daibu, who was the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board at the time, disclosed that the then Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, requested the N1bn loan via a phone call.
Daibu said the board insisted on a formal letter to document the terms and secure repayment.
“Though they promised to repay the loan within one or two months, the N1bn was never refunded until the board was dissolved,” Daibu said while being led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).
Daibu testified that he was initially hesitant to approve the loan because UBEC funds are statutorily earmarked for basic education infrastructure, not salary obligations. He added that the board eventually received an official letter, marked as Exhibit 4, from the Kwara State Ministry of Finance bearing the governor’s endorsement.
The fifth prosecution witness, Benjamin Fatigun, a retired permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, corroborated the testimony.
He stated that Governor Ahmed approved the decision after the Ministry of Finance wrote to explain the state’s inability to pay salaries at the time.
“There was an official letter from the Ministry of Finance to the governor detailing the state’s inability to pay salaries. The letter suggested borrowing from SUBEB, and the governor gave the go-ahead. The fund was then transferred to the state’s salary account,” Fatigun testified.
Both witnesses were cross-examined by defence counsels, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), and Gboyega Oyewole (SAN).
Fatigun reaffirmed that the financial crisis prompted the loan, which was obtained with the governor’s full approval.
Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar adjourned the case until Friday, April 11, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.
