Court Sets April 20 for Ex-Kwara Governor's Trial

The trial of former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed is ongoing, with the court setting April 20 for the cross-examination of a witness from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC has charged Ahmed and Ademola Banu with the misappropriation of N5.78 billion from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds.

The EFCC's sixth witness, Stanlei Ujilibo, testified that the funds released to the Kwara State government for the years 2013, 2014, and 2015 were not utilized according to the action plan submitted by the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). Ujilibo informed the court that SUBEB presented a detailed action plan outlining various educational projects across the state, which was intended to persuade the federal government to release matching grants benefiting primary and junior secondary school pupils.

The trial is part of a broader investigation into financial crimes involving significant sums allocated for educational development.