Sh*ck Revelation In Court: EFCC Witness Says Ahmed Not Linked To Alleged ₦5.78bn Fraud

An investigator with the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Stanley Ujilibo, has told the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin that none of the disputed ₦5.78 billion belonging to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) was paid directly to former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Ujilibo made the disclosure on Tuesday while testifying in the ongoing trial of Ahmed and his former Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, who are facing allegations relating to the diversion of ₦5.78 billion in SUBEB funds.

Appearing as the sixth prosecution witness, the EFCC investigator also informed the court that neither Ahmed nor the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) was a signatory to the Kwara SUBEB account.

Under cross-examination by Ahmed’s counsel, Abdulrazaq Gold (SAN), Ujilibo stated that the commission found no evidence indicating that any of the allegedly diverted funds were transferred into the former governor’s personal accounts.

He further revealed that the EFCC did not investigate Ahmed’s personal bank accounts because the petition that triggered the investigation did not allege that the funds were paid into any account belonging to him.

According to the witness, the commission’s investigation was limited to the allegations contained in the petition before it.

However, Ujilibo testified that Ahmed approved a request for a ₦1 billion loan from the state’s SUBEB counterpart fund to facilitate the payment of workers’ salaries.

He explained that the request originated from Banu, who served as Commissioner for Finance at the time.

The witness noted that although the loan was approved for salary payments, using SUBEB counterpart funds for that purpose was inconsistent with the objectives for which the funds were established.

Ujilibo also told the court that none of the accounting officers of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board had been charged in the case, adding that they were listed as witnesses rather than defendants.

During the proceedings, counsel to the first defendant requested an adjournment to obtain a statement allegedly made by Ahmed to the EFCC in Abuja, as well as the former governor’s asset declaration forms for further cross-examination.

The request was opposed by EFCC counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi, who argued that the defence had sufficient time to secure the documents since the commencement of the trial in 2024.

“My Lord, we are constrained to oppose this application. The last time this matter came up before your Lordship was on February 16. The defendant has had ample time to obtain any document required for cross-examination,” Adeniyi said.

In his ruling, Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar declined the application for adjournment but granted the defence the option of recalling the witness for additional cross-examination if necessary.

The case was subsequently adjourned until July 27 for the continuation of trial.

Ahmed and Banu are being prosecuted by the EFCC over allegations involving the diversion of ₦5.78 billion earmarked for the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board.