The High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has adjourned the trial of former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his former Finance Commissioner, Ademola Banu, to February 16, 2026.
Naijaonpoint reports that they are facing charges of allegedly diverting ₦5.78 billion during Ahmed’s administration.
At Thursday’s hearing before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar, the sixth prosecution witness explained that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission obtained bank statements linked to loans taken to pay teachers’ salaries under the State Universal Basic Education Board.
These statements, along with documents on matching grants from the Universal Basic Education Commission, were submitted as evidence.
The proceedings were delayed after a dispute arose over the organization of the documents between the prosecution and defence.
Defence counsel, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), argued that the documents served to them were not properly arranged or paginated, making it difficult for the defence to respond.
Prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs said the documents were correctly served, but he did not arrange them for the defence.
Justice Abdulgafar adjourned the case to give the parties time to organize the documents properly.
The EFCC claimed that Ahmed and Banu approved the use of UBEC matching grants for civil servant salaries, which was outside the intended purpose of the funds.
Earlier, the state’s former Accountant-General testified that ₦1 billion from UBEC grants was borrowed in 2015 to pay salaries of civil servants and pensioners.