A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has testified before the Kwara State High Court that former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed failed to repay a ₦1 billion loan obtained from the state’s Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

During Thursday’s session, Lanre Daibu, former chairman of Kwara SUBEB, appeared as the fourth prosecution witness in the trial of Ahmed and former Finance Commissioner Ademola Banu. The two are facing 14 charges related to alleged theft and misappropriation of ₦5.78 billion in public funds.

Daibu told the court that the ₦1 billion loan originated from the 2013 Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) matching grant and was used in January 2015 to pay salaries and pensions. Despite assurances that the funds would be repaid within one or two months, he confirmed the state government never reimbursed the board.

He added that Banu had initially made the loan request via a phone call, but Daibu insisted on a formal written request for proper documentation. He told the court, “In the letter signed on behalf of the second defendant, they promised to pay back within a month or two. However, they did not repay the loan until the board was dissolved.”

Daibu expressed concerns about approving the loan, knowing the UBEC grant had strict guidelines and was not meant for general government spending.

Also testifying was Benjamin Sehinde Fatigun, a retired permanent secretary from the Ministry of Finance, who confirmed that then-Governor Ahmed approved the loan. Fatigun stated that the money was meant to help cover salary payments for civil servants and retirees. The funds, he said, were transferred to the state’s salary account following approvals from both the governor and the finance commissioner.

Fatigun further explained that the Ministry of Finance had alerted the governor’s office about challenges in paying salaries and proposed the SUBEB fund as a temporary solution.

The trial is scheduled to continue on April 11, 2025.