Ex-Governor Diverted Over N5.78Billion In Education Grants To Pay Salaries, Witness Tells Court
Dr. Musa Dasuki Oladimeji, a retired Permanent Secretary and former Head of Administration at the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), told the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Wednesday that the state government withdrew over N5.78 billion in SUBEB funds between 2013 and 2016 to cover salary payments.
Awitness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has testified that former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed used Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) matching grants to pay workers’ salaries during his tenure.
Dr. Musa Dasuki Oladimeji, a retired Permanent Secretary and former Head of Administration at the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), told the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Wednesday that the state government withdrew over N5.78 billion in SUBEB funds between 2013 and 2016 to cover salary payments.
According to Dr. Dasuki, the funds—initially meant to support basic education—were deposited in a designated Skye Bank account but were later retrieved as loans by the state government.
He stated that the government paid over N1 billion in 2013, N952 million in 2015, N869 million in 2015, and N973 million in 2016 as matching grants before withdrawing the funds.
The EFCC has charged Ahmed and former finance commissioner, Ademola Banu, with misappropriating the funds meant for education development between 2013 and 2019.
Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Under cross-examination, Dr. Dasuki admitted that the ex-governor and his finance commissioner were not signatories to the SUBEB account or members of its board.
However, he acknowledged that the funds were used for salary payments and that to his knowledge, the loan was never repaid.
The case continues before Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar at the Kwara State High Court.
Meanwhile, during cross-examination by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the retired Permanent Secretary revealed that short-term loans granted by SUBEB to the state government during those years hindered the execution of designated action plan projects.
These projects included the provision of infrastructure for both primary and junior secondary schools in the state.
He explained: “When the state government requested a N1 billion loan to pay workers’ salaries, we initially declined. However, after assurances that the funds would be repaid upon receipt of statutory allocation from FAAC in Abuja, we agreed.
“The Executive Chairman of SUBEB at the time, Mr. Lanre Daibu, insisted on a formal request, prompting the state Finance Commissioner’s office to issue a written letter. Following this, we transferred the funds to the state government’s account. The same process was followed in subsequent years.
“In 2016, despite developing an action plan and both UBEC and the state government fulfilling their counterpart funding obligations, no projects were executed. To the best of my knowledge, we received no communication regarding how the funds were spent.”
When the ex-governor’s defence counsel suggested that the funds had been repaid, the SUBEB accounting officer firmly disagreed.
