The trial of former Kwara State Governor Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and his Finance Commissioner, Ademola Banu, continued on Wednesday, March 11, 2024, at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin. They are accused of misappropriating N5.78 billion in public funds, including money intended for teachers’ salaries.
In a press release on its official X account, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission announced that during the hearing, EFCC presented its second witness, Dr. Musa Oladimeji Dasuki, a retired Permanent Secretary at the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), who served from 2011 to 2020. EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs led Dasuki in his testimony.
Dasuki explained that the Kwara State Government, under Ahmed and Banu, sought funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for the years 2013 and 2014 to pay teachers’ salaries. He revealed that Banu had initially made an oral request for the release of the 2013 UBEC Matching Grant but was advised to submit a written request.
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“The Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, later sent a letter requesting the funds after receiving approval from the governor,” Dasuki stated. The funds were then deposited into the state’s account at Skye Bank Plc.
Although SUBEB initially opposed the request due to concerns that it would impact ongoing projects, they eventually approved it after Banu assured them that the funds would be returned once the state received its allocations from the federal government.
Dasuki stated, “A letter confirming this was sent from the office of the Commissioner for Finance, and the money was released immediately.” However, he noted that the promised repayment never occurred.
He explained that the funds were meant for constructing 40 standard classrooms, 40 VIP toilets, and ICT centers in primary and junior secondary schools across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State. Dasuki highlighted that many of these projects could not be completed because the money had been diverted, leading to complaints from contractors who had not been paid for their work.
During cross-examination by Jimoh Mumini, counsel for Ahmed, Dasuki confirmed that neither the former governor nor the finance commissioner was a member of the SUBEB.
Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar adjourned the case until Thursday, March 13, 2025.
