Absent EFCC Witnesses Stall Ahmed , Banu’s N5.6bn Corruption Trial

The absence of key prosecution witnesses for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday stalled the ongoing N5.6 billion corruption trial involving former Kwara State Governor, Mallam Ahmed Abdulfatai, and his Finance Commissioner, Ademola Banu.

The trial was subsequently adjourned to November 9, 2026, by Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin.

Ahmed and Banu are facing charges brought by the anti-graft agency over the alleged diversion of N5.78 billion belonging to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), which was reportedly used for paying state civil servants’ salaries.

At the brief proceedings, prosecution witness Stanley Ujilibo underwent cross-examination led by Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), counsel to the first defendant, Abdulfatai Ahmed.

When questioned by Ajibade on whether one Ayoola Idowu—a civil servant who authored the petition to the EFCC—benefited from the fund through salary payments, Ujilibo stated he could not confirm if Idowu received any portion of the money as salary.

Further pressed under cross-examination by Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), counsel for the second defendant (Banu), the witness admitted that he could not produce any documentary evidence directly establishing that the former finance commissioner personally borrowed money from the SUBEB allocation.

Upon examining the case exhibits in open court, Ujilibo pointed to a letter written by Banu to former Governor Ahmed requesting the state to release its counterpart funds for SUBEB.

However, when Banu’s defense team noted that the letter addressed counterpart funding rather than borrowing, the witness acknowledged that another document referencing borrowing was authored and signed by a different individual, not Banu.

Following the conclusion of Ujilibo’s cross-examination, prosecution counsel Adebisi Adeniyi informed the court that the remaining witnesses were unavoidably absent and requested a continuance.

“The next witnesses are unavoidably absent, and we respectfully request an adjournment to enable them to appear,” Adeniyi told the court.

With no objections raised by the defense team representing both defendants, Justice Abdulgafar granted the prayer and fixed November 9 for the continuation of trial.