EFCC presents third witness in ex-Kwara Governor’s N5.78bn fraud trial
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, March 13, 2025, presented its third witness, Engineer Abdulsalam Olarewaju Sirajudeen, in the trial of former Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, over the alleged mismanagement of N5.78 billion Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds.
Testifying before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, Abdulsalam, a former project manager with SUBEB in 2013 and later Director of Physical Planning in 2017, explained the procedures for executing primary and junior secondary school projects using UBEC’s Matching Grants and Counterpart Funds.
He detailed his responsibilities, including assessing school infrastructure across Kwara’s 16 local government areas, conducting surveys, documenting findings, and submitting reports for UBEC’s approval and funding. “Physical Planning Department prepares the action plans based on UBEC guidelines,” he stated.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Abdulsalam revealed that the 2013 action plan was submitted to UBEC for approval. “Once approved, an advertisement invites qualified contractors to bid. After four weeks, bidding takes place in the presence of all stakeholders, including UBEC representatives,” he explained.
Action plans for 2014 and 2015 followed a similar process but, despite inviting bids, contracts were never awarded.
During cross-examination by defense counsel Jimoh Mumini, SAN, and Gboyega Oyewole, SAN, Abdulsalam confirmed that neither Ahmed nor Banu was a signatory to SUBEB accounts.
The EFCC alleges that the defendants misappropriated the funds meant for educational projects, failing to execute approved contracts.
Justice Abdulgafar adjourned the case to April 10–11, 2025, for further hearing.
