From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The trial of former Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, over alleged mismanagement of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds continued on Thursday, March 13, 2025.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), presented its third witness, Engineer Abdulsalam Sirajudeen, before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin.
Ahmed and Banu are being prosecuted over the alleged misappropriation of N5.78 billion UBEC funds.
Testifying before the court, Abdulsalam, a former project manager with the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), who later became Director of Physical Planning in 2017, outlined the process of executing projects for primary and junior secondary schools under UBEC’s Matching Grants and Counterpart Funds.
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He explained that his duties involved assessing school needs across Kwara’s 16 local government areas, conducting surveys, and submitting reports to UBEC for funding approval.
“Physical Planning Department prepares the action plans based on guidelines provided by UBEC, UBEC then invites us to Abuja for discussions on the action plan,” he stated.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the witness revealed that while action plans for 2013, 2014, and 2015 were prepared and submitted for UBEC’s approval, the projects were never awarded to contractors despite invitations for bidding.
“After approval, an advertisement is placed, inviting qualified contractors to bid. After four weeks, bidding takes place in the presence of all stakeholders, including UBEC representatives. Contractors who win the bids are then mobilized to project sites,” he said.
However, under cross-examination by defense counsel, Jimoh Mumini (SAN), and Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), Abdulsalam confirmed that neither Ahmed nor Banu was a signatory to the SUBEB accounts.
The court adjourned the case to April 10–11, 2025, for further hearing.
