At the resumed trial on Tuesday, the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, presented more witnesses to prove a case of alleged N5.78 billion involving the immediate past Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ELLAN.png")
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
The sixth prosecution witness, Suleiman Oluwadare Ishola, who served as the Accountant-General of the State between 2013 – 2019, told Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin that the vouchers to borrow N1 billion were raised by SUBEB officials.
Suleiman had, in his testimony on Friday, April 11, 2025, during the last court proceeding, told the court that the sum of N1 billion, being a matching grant from UBEC, was borrowed by the Abdulfatah administration in 2015 to pay salaries of civil servants and pensioners.
Ishola maintained that neither of the defendants authorised the vouchers nor received any direct payments from the borrowed funds.
His testimony corroborated the earlier testimony by Lanre Daibu, former SUBEB Chairman, who also confirmed receiving formal approval from the state government to access the UBEC matching grant for salary payments.
Following cross-examination by defence counsels Jimoh A. Mumini (SAN) and Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), representing Ahmed and Banu respectively, Ishola was discharged from the witness box.
The prosecution then called its seventh witness (PW7), Stanley Ujilibo, an Assistant Commander of the EFCC, who was part of the investigation team.
Led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Ujilibo narrated the sequence of events leading to the defendants’ prosecution. He told the court that the EFCC received a petition dated April 17, 2024, signed by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Kwara State, Akande Idowu Ayoola, on behalf of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. The petition alleged diversion of UBEC funds allocated for educational infrastructure across the state’s 16 local government areas.
To aid the investigation, the witness said that the EFCC wrote to UBEC requesting relevant documents and nominated personnel.
In response, Hassan Abubakar, an Assistant Director at UBEC, provided action plans for the 2013–2015 fiscal years, detailing contractors’ names and project costs.
Ujilibo explained that states are required to pay a 50% counterpart contribution to access UBEC matching grants, and that project proposals must be defended before a UBEC committee before release of funds.
He added that the EFCC invited several key officials, including Lanre Daibu, SUBEB Director of Physical Planning, Engr. Abdulsalam Olarewaju, former SUBEB Permanent Secretary Dr. Musa Dasuki, Accountant-General Ishola, and the then Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Benjamin Fatigun, all of whom made voluntary statements.
The witness said the EFCC also obtained financial records from Polaris Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, which handled SUBEB accounts, to trace the flow and application of UBEC funds.
Ujilibo testified that both defendants were invited and they volunteered statements in the presence of their lawyers, without any form of coercion. The court admitted their extra-judicial statements as exhibits, as there was no objection from the defence.
Further hearing has been adjourned to October 16 and 17, 2025.
LAWBREED — Equipping You For Greater Success!
_______________________________________________________________________
“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof
[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation
______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
As an added bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE ebook titled: “How to use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion.”
Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating:
"....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic."
How to Order:
📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878
📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com
🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACiarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
