Alleged N5.78bn UBEC Fraud: EFCC Witness Tells Court Kwara Funds Diverted To Salaries, Loans, Road Projects

The trial of former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, over the alleged diversion of N5.78 billion Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds resumed on Monday, February 16, 2026, with damning revelations before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.
Testifying as the sixth prosecution witness, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Stanley Ujilibo, told the court that funds released to the Kwara State Government for 2013, 2014, and 2015 were allegedly not utilised in line with the action plans submitted by the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
Ahmed and Banu are being prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC over the alleged diversion of part of the N5.78 billion UBEC matching grants, contrary to the purpose for which the funds were released.
Led in evidence by Adebisi Adeniyi, Ujilibo explained that SUBEB had prepared detailed action plans outlining critical educational projects across Kwara State. The Board, backed by evidence of counterpart funding, sought to secure matching grants from UBEC to address the deplorable state of primary and junior secondary schools across the state’s 16 local government areas.
“My Lord,” the witness said, “a team of officials from SUBEB, including the Chairman, Director of Finance and Accounts, Project Manager, and other top management staff, went to Abuja to defend the action plans for 2013, 2014, and 2015, highlighting the deteriorating condition of schools across the state.”
However, Ujilibo told the court that investigations revealed the funds were transferred from the UBEC matching grant accounts into the Kwara State Government’s central account in a commercial bank. He stated that while portions of the money were used for projects such as the reconstruction of Omosebi Bridge, Coca-Cola Road Bridge, Michael Imodu/Afon Junction Road, Lafiaji Township Road, and the rehabilitation of the Ilorin water supply network, the projects bore no direct relevance to basic education.
The witness further disclosed that N952,297,227.30 — representing the 2014 UBEC fund — was allegedly used for the liquidation of a loan principal. He added that a request purportedly signed by the second defendant, Banu, sought approval to obtain a N1 billion loan from SUBEB counterpart funds to augment workers’ salaries.
According to the EFCC investigator, funds earmarked for improving infrastructure and learning conditions in primary and junior secondary schools were ultimately deployed for purposes outside their statutory mandate, with no direct benefit to pupils.
Following the prosecution’s examination-in-chief, Justice Abdulgafar adjourned the matter until April 20, 2026, for cross-examination of the witness.