The Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has adjourned the trial of former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, to July 27, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination in the alleged diversion of ₦5.78bn belonging to the State Universal Basic Education Board.
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Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar fixed the new date on Wednesday after counsel to the second defendant, Ibn Mahmud, informed the court that lead defence counsel, Gboyega Oyewole, was indisposed and unable to proceed with the matter.
Ahmed and Banu are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations that funds meant for basic education in Kwara State were unlawfully diverted.
During proceedings, the sixth prosecution witness, Stanley Ujilibo, an Assistant Commander with the EFCC, told the court that Ahmed approved a request to obtain a ₦1bn loan from Kwara State’s SUBEB counterpart fund for the payment of workers’ salaries.
According to Ujilibo, the approval followed a request by Banu and was not consistent with the statutory purpose for which the education funds were established.
“The former governor gave approval for a request to secure a ₦1bn loan from the state’s SUBEB counterpart fund for the payment of workers’ salaries,” the witness testified.
Under cross-examination, Ujilibo confirmed that SUBEB operated as an independent body with its own governing board.
He also stated that neither Ahmed nor Banu was a member of the SUBEB board, although the former governor had the power to appoint the board chairman and other key officials.
The witness further disclosed that EFCC investigators did not examine Ahmed’s personal bank accounts because the petition that triggered the investigation did not directly link the allegedly diverted funds to any account belonging to the former governor.
He also told the court that none of the accounting officers of SUBEB is currently standing trial over the alleged diversion of the funds.
Earlier, counsel to Ahmed, Abdulrasaq Gold, sought an adjournment to enable the defence obtain copies of statements made by the former governor to the EFCC in Abuja, as well as his asset declaration forms.
Gold argued that the documents were necessary for further cross-examination of the prosecution witness.
However, EFCC counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi, opposed the application, arguing that the defence had enough time to request the documents since the trial commenced in 2024.
In his ruling, Justice Abdulgafar refused the application for adjournment on that ground, but held that the defence would be at liberty to recall the witness for further cross-examination after obtaining the requested documents.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to July 27, 2026, for continuation of trial.
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