According to the statement made available to the general public, acting on credible intelligence, troops deployed at the Patrol Base Babanla swiftly mobilised to a suspected bandit hideout and rescued Mrs Oluwabusayo Taiwo, aged 25, and her 3 years old son, Taiwo Irayomide, who were among the victims abducted at Oke-Ode on 28 September 2025.
The rescued victims are currently receiving first aid treatment at the Patrol Base sick bay and will be reunited with their family members in due course.
Also the troops while on routine patrol along a suspected bandit route, also rescued Mr Mohammadu Sani, known as Mai Shayi,* a 40 years old local tea seller from Garkarima. The bandits fled upon sighting the patrol team, abandoning the victim, who was found in a pool of blood. Troops recovered one dane gun and a cutlass from the scene. The victim is currently receiving medical attention at the Patrol Base sick bay.
The Commander, 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Ezra Barkins, commended the troops for their swift response and professionalism, while reaffirming that the Nigerian Army will remain committed towards ensuring the safety and security of all citizens and will continue to intensify operations aimed at restoring peace and stability across Kwara State and its environs
It is on records that insecurities in Nigeria have been aggravated since enthronement of APC leadership in 2015. Beyond Boko Haram terrorism, the country has graduated to multiple non state actors terrorism by bandits , kidnapping for ransoms and Fulani herdsmen killing the defenseless and helpless citizens while the Tinubu led APC gangs keeps imposing taxes, devalued national currency, reduced the purchasing power of the people and keeps the country permanently as the global capital of poverty. The government has also crippled the opposition political parties in the country and silence critics
According to the statement made available to the general public, acting on credible intelligence, troops deployed at the Patrol Base Babanla swiftly mobilised to a suspected bandit hideout and rescued Mrs Oluwabusayo Taiwo, aged 25, and her 3 years old son, Taiwo Irayomide, who were among the victims abducted at Oke-Ode on 28 September 2025.
The rescued victims are currently receiving first aid treatment at the Patrol Base sick bay and will be reunited with their family members in due course.
Also the troops while on routine patrol along a suspected bandit route, also rescued Mr Mohammadu Sani, known as Mai Shayi,* a 40 years old local tea seller from Garkarima. The bandits fled upon sighting the patrol team, abandoning the victim, who was found in a pool of blood. Troops recovered one dane gun and a cutlass from the scene. The victim is currently receiving medical attention at the Patrol Base sick bay.
The Commander, 22 Armoured Brigade, Brigadier General Ezra Barkins, commended the troops for their swift response and professionalism, while reaffirming that the Nigerian Army will remain committed towards ensuring the safety and security of all citizens and will continue to intensify operations aimed at restoring peace and stability across Kwara State and its environs
It is on records that insecurities in Nigeria have been aggravated since enthronement of APC leadership in 2015. Beyond Boko Haram terrorism, the country has graduated to multiple non state actors terrorism by bandits , kidnapping for ransoms and Fulani herdsmen killing the defenseless and helpless citizens while the Tinubu led APC gangs keeps imposing taxes, devalued national currency, reduced the purchasing power of the people and keeps the country permanently as the global capital of poverty. The government has also crippled the opposition political parties in the country and silence critics
These Are the Name of towns deserted In KWARA STATE By Band!t as at NOW
1) Ologomo Town
2) Ajegunle Town
3) AgbanTown
4) Alebe Town
5) Owode Town
6) Alasoro Town
7) Alawan Town
8) Bankole Town
9) Oreke Town
10) Ganmu Town
11) Babanla Town
12) Ayetoro Town
13) Budo Town
14) Arifowomo Town
15) Apata Olosun Town
16) Oreke Isale Town
17) Sagbe Town
18) Olohun Tele Town
19) Oke Ode Town
20) Ilu Agunjin Town.
KWARA SOUTH IS BLEEDING
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APC government has failed in the primary responsibilities of governance, protection of lives and properties but Tinubu led APC gangs only knows how to collect taxes, reduced the purchasing power of the citizens, sharing abject poverty for greater numbers of people.
It is the constitutional duty of the President to protect lives and property — not to multiply taxes while citizens are fleeing their hometowns.
You cannot build national prosperity on insecurity.
When people abandon their homes, farmlands, and local economies out of fear, the foundation of governance collapses.
Security is not just a moral duty — it is the economic backbone of every stable nation.
How do you tax a farmer who can’t access his land?
How do you expect productivity from a citizen who sleeps in fear?
Every displaced family represents a shrinking economy — a town losing its workforce, a market losing its buyers, and a government losing its legitimacy.
Yet in this country, the death of Nigerians has become just another statistic — names reduced to numbers, headlines recycled like weather reports.
We mourn for a day, move on by tomorrow, and the government calls it “progress.”
Leadership without security is taxation without humanity.
While the government focuses on new levies and economic jargon, the real economy — the people — is dying in silence.
And those joining this administration to tell us it’s making progress are the worst kind of humans —
soulless defenders of failure.
They are like the Uruk-hai from The Lord of the Rings — bred for destruction, loyal only to evil, and blind to the ruin they serve.
To worsen it, they travel across the world gaslighting citizens —
telling the international community that there is no corruption back home,
while the nation they left behind bleeds from the wounds of theft, lies, and silence.
And the saddest part?
Many of you think you’re supporting your party while all this evil is taking place.
You defend the same system that is destroying your future,
clap for oppressors who wouldn’t spend a second living your reality,
and mock those who still dare to speak.
You cannot measure GDP when the ground itself is unsafe.
Until lives are protected, every new tax is blood money collected from the displaced and forgotten.
A serious government protects first, reforms next, and taxes last.
But in today’s Nigeria, the order is reversed — we are being taxed for a nation we can no longer live in.
These Are the Name of towns deserted In KWARA STATE By Band!t as at NOW
1) Ologomo Town
2) Ajegunle Town
3) AgbanTown
4) Alebe Town
5) Owode Town
6) Alasoro Town
7) Alawan Town
8) Bankole Town
9) Oreke Town
10) Ganmu Town
11) Babanla Town
12) Ayetoro Town
13) Budo Town
14) Arifowomo Town
15) Apata Olosun Town
16) Oreke Isale Town
17) Sagbe Town
18) Olohun Tele Town
19) Oke Ode Town
20) Ilu Agunjin Town.
KWARA SOUTH IS BLEEDING
|
| Profile picture |
APC government has failed in the primary responsibilities of governance, protection of lives and properties but Tinubu led APC gangs only knows how to collect taxes, reduced the purchasing power of the citizens, sharing abject poverty for greater numbers of people.
It is the constitutional duty of the President to protect lives and property — not to multiply taxes while citizens are fleeing their hometowns.
You cannot build national prosperity on insecurity.
When people abandon their homes, farmlands, and local economies out of fear, the foundation of governance collapses.
Security is not just a moral duty — it is the economic backbone of every stable nation.
How do you tax a farmer who can’t access his land?
How do you expect productivity from a citizen who sleeps in fear?
Every displaced family represents a shrinking economy — a town losing its workforce, a market losing its buyers, and a government losing its legitimacy.
Yet in this country, the death of Nigerians has become just another statistic — names reduced to numbers, headlines recycled like weather reports.
We mourn for a day, move on by tomorrow, and the government calls it “progress.”
Leadership without security is taxation without humanity.
While the government focuses on new levies and economic jargon, the real economy — the people — is dying in silence.
And those joining this administration to tell us it’s making progress are the worst kind of humans —
soulless defenders of failure.
They are like the Uruk-hai from The Lord of the Rings — bred for destruction, loyal only to evil, and blind to the ruin they serve.
To worsen it, they travel across the world gaslighting citizens —
telling the international community that there is no corruption back home,
while the nation they left behind bleeds from the wounds of theft, lies, and silence.
And the saddest part?
Many of you think you’re supporting your party while all this evil is taking place.
You defend the same system that is destroying your future,
clap for oppressors who wouldn’t spend a second living your reality,
and mock those who still dare to speak.
You cannot measure GDP when the ground itself is unsafe.
Until lives are protected, every new tax is blood money collected from the displaced and forgotten.
A serious government protects first, reforms next, and taxes last.
But in today’s Nigeria, the order is reversed — we are being taxed for a nation we can no longer live in.
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Overwhelmed, the gunmen retreated toward Bishewa settlement. In Bishewa, the assailants launched another assault, killing one of two stepbrothers in their home and abducting the other.
“They killed Ndako, the elder brother, and took the younger one, Audu, away,” a source told reporters.
The renewed wave of attacks has escalated tension across Kwara’s riverine and forested communities, many of which have faced repeated kidnappings and killings in recent months.
In response, the Nigerian Army has reportedly deployed a full brigade and heavy equipment to Kwara South and parts of Kwara North to flush out bandits from forest hideouts.
According to Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, troops were observed advancing through Oke Ode and Babanla in Ifelodun Local Government Area.
The operation, conducted under Operation Fasan Yanma, also covers the Edu and Patigi councils, where soldiers are combing dense forests frequently used by kidnappers for ransom activities
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| Profile picture |
Overwhelmed, the gunmen retreated toward Bishewa settlement. In Bishewa, the assailants launched another assault, killing one of two stepbrothers in their home and abducting the other.
“They killed Ndako, the elder brother, and took the younger one, Audu, away,” a source told reporters.
The renewed wave of attacks has escalated tension across Kwara’s riverine and forested communities, many of which have faced repeated kidnappings and killings in recent months.
In response, the Nigerian Army has reportedly deployed a full brigade and heavy equipment to Kwara South and parts of Kwara North to flush out bandits from forest hideouts.
According to Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, troops were observed advancing through Oke Ode and Babanla in Ifelodun Local Government Area.
The operation, conducted under Operation Fasan Yanma, also covers the Edu and Patigi councils, where soldiers are combing dense forests frequently used by kidnappers for ransom activities
This, he said would reinforce collective will, to completely snatch the country and destiny from the jaws of insanity and barbarism, just as socio-cultural orientations that uphold the sanctity of life and the intrinsic dignity in the human person must never be surrendered to the ungodly.
Oba Owoade gave the admonition on the heels of recent killings of some people who were of Yoruba' extraction by those suspected as Fulani herdsmen at Oke Ode area in Kwara State.
Disturbed about this ugly development , and putting into consideration the fact that Yorubas and Fulanis had for decades been living harmoniously without let or hindrance, Alaafin had contacted the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq on the incident and how best he could come in , in order to nip in the bud the criminal onslaught by the bandits.
The Governor in his response lauded the Alaafin for his concerned , visionary style of administration and as the Titan of Yorubaland , assured the Paramount Ruler that a battalion of soldiers had been deployed to the scene of the gory incident .
The Alaafin who lamented about the mindless killings masterminded by suspected Fulani herdsmen wondered why the herdsmen became threats to peace and security, adding they had for long been in existence without serious criminal records as is presently the case.
Oba Owoade enjoined the Federal Government to ensure that all those found culpable in the mindless killings in Kwara State are brought to justice and to serve as a credible deterrence.
According to the Alaafin, ‘’there can be no national development without relative peace and stability. There have been greater challenges of security in recent times than at any point in time in our history, thus rendering our political stability fragile, democratic institutions and processes fluid,
"" Government, political leaders and followers, and all of us, must have the courage and honesty to get to the root causes of our current state of insecurity, underpinned by criminality, insurgency and of recent terrorism by herdsmen’’.
He went further, "’Our leaders and followers should not take the issue of security for granted, but to ensure urgent and immediate steps are taken to consciously respond to current threats by architectonic designing and building a security system which would create a stable and relatively peaceful environment, conducive for national development. We must accept the reality that while it is necessary to create unity in diversity, we must identify and respect our differences, which is diversity in unity"".
While eulogizing security agencies for their steadfastness and commitment to duties, Alaafin who warned against acts that are detrimental to peace, orderliness and unity of the country, assured all ethnic groups living in the metropolis of adequate protection of lives and properties.
‘’Before now, Oyo Empire under the reign of Alaafin not only remained the first to provide cattle ranches for Fulani herdsmen in Yoruba land, another ten acres of land were made available for convenience of the herdsmen free of charge, in order to ensure harmonious relationship and peaceful co-existence among all ethnic groups residing in the metropolis’’.
Oba Owoade added, ‘’whenever there are skirmishes between farmers and the hersmen, the Royal Father would adopt his age-long conflict resolution mechanisms, which provides opportunity to interact with the parties concerned, promotes consensus-building, social bridge reconstructions and enactment of order in the Empire"".
Bode Durojaiye, Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Paramount Ruler of Oyo Kingdom and the Superior Head of Yorubaland
This, he said would reinforce collective will, to completely snatch the country and destiny from the jaws of insanity and barbarism, just as socio-cultural orientations that uphold the sanctity of life and the intrinsic dignity in the human person must never be surrendered to the ungodly.
Oba Owoade gave the admonition on the heels of recent killings of some people who were of Yoruba' extraction by those suspected as Fulani herdsmen at Oke Ode area in Kwara State.
Disturbed about this ugly development , and putting into consideration the fact that Yorubas and Fulanis had for decades been living harmoniously without let or hindrance, Alaafin had contacted the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq on the incident and how best he could come in , in order to nip in the bud the criminal onslaught by the bandits.
The Governor in his response lauded the Alaafin for his concerned , visionary style of administration and as the Titan of Yorubaland , assured the Paramount Ruler that a battalion of soldiers had been deployed to the scene of the gory incident .
The Alaafin who lamented about the mindless killings masterminded by suspected Fulani herdsmen wondered why the herdsmen became threats to peace and security, adding they had for long been in existence without serious criminal records as is presently the case.
Oba Owoade enjoined the Federal Government to ensure that all those found culpable in the mindless killings in Kwara State are brought to justice and to serve as a credible deterrence.
According to the Alaafin, ‘’there can be no national development without relative peace and stability. There have been greater challenges of security in recent times than at any point in time in our history, thus rendering our political stability fragile, democratic institutions and processes fluid,
"" Government, political leaders and followers, and all of us, must have the courage and honesty to get to the root causes of our current state of insecurity, underpinned by criminality, insurgency and of recent terrorism by herdsmen’’.
He went further, "’Our leaders and followers should not take the issue of security for granted, but to ensure urgent and immediate steps are taken to consciously respond to current threats by architectonic designing and building a security system which would create a stable and relatively peaceful environment, conducive for national development. We must accept the reality that while it is necessary to create unity in diversity, we must identify and respect our differences, which is diversity in unity"".
While eulogizing security agencies for their steadfastness and commitment to duties, Alaafin who warned against acts that are detrimental to peace, orderliness and unity of the country, assured all ethnic groups living in the metropolis of adequate protection of lives and properties.
‘’Before now, Oyo Empire under the reign of Alaafin not only remained the first to provide cattle ranches for Fulani herdsmen in Yoruba land, another ten acres of land were made available for convenience of the herdsmen free of charge, in order to ensure harmonious relationship and peaceful co-existence among all ethnic groups residing in the metropolis’’.
Oba Owoade added, ‘’whenever there are skirmishes between farmers and the hersmen, the Royal Father would adopt his age-long conflict resolution mechanisms, which provides opportunity to interact with the parties concerned, promotes consensus-building, social bridge reconstructions and enactment of order in the Empire"".
Bode Durojaiye, Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Paramount Ruler of Oyo Kingdom and the Superior Head of Yorubaland
Officers of the Directorate had earlier on Friday, March 22, 2025 arrested 22 suspected internet fraudsters in Tanke, Alao Farm Estate, Yidi Road, and Irewolede areas of Ilorin.
The arrest of the suspects followed credible intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities. Items recovered from them at the point of arrest included eight luxury cars, smartphones and high-end laptop computers.
Both arrests brought to 37, the number of suspected internet fraudsters, rounded up in Ilorin by the anti-graft in a space of one week.
The suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Source: EFCC
Officers of the Directorate had earlier on Friday, March 22, 2025 arrested 22 suspected internet fraudsters in Tanke, Alao Farm Estate, Yidi Road, and Irewolede areas of Ilorin.
The arrest of the suspects followed credible intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities. Items recovered from them at the point of arrest included eight luxury cars, smartphones and high-end laptop computers.
Both arrests brought to 37, the number of suspected internet fraudsters, rounded up in Ilorin by the anti-graft in a space of one week.
The suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Source: EFCC
Similarly, he sentenced one Akinwale Olamilekan from Owena Ijesha in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State to 300 (Three Hundred) hours of community service, also at the rate of five hours of work daily for commiting internet fraud. The sentence is without an option of a fine.
Both convicts were arraigned on March 20, 2025 by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate one-count charge, bordering on illegal operation of BDC services and fraudulent impersonation, respectively.
The charge against Buba reads: "That you, Musa Buba, sometime in July 2024 at Chikanda Market, Yashikira District, Baruten Local Government Area, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did carry on the business of another financial institution, to wit: Bureau de Change Business, without a valid license issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, contrary to Section 57 (1) & (2) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020, and punishable under Section 57(5)(b) of the same Act."
The charge against Olamilekan reads: "That you, Akinwale Olamilekan (Alias: Mary Williams), sometime in November 2024, within the judicial division of the Federal High Court, did fraudulently impersonate one Mary Williams via your iMessage account to obtain the sum of $950 (Nine Hundred and Fifty US Dollars) from one Mark Durham, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act and punishable under Section 22 (2)(b)(iv) of the same Act."
They pleaded “guilty” to their respective charge.
Convinced by the facts of the case and the uncontroverted evidence, presented by prosecution counsel, Andrew Akoja, Justice Awogboro convicted and sentenced them accordingly.
In addition to his sentence, Buba forfeited to the federal government the sum of 409,500 CFA and N1,973,200 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Three Thousand, Two Hundred Naira Only), recovered from him at the point of arrest, while Akinwale restituted his victim with the sum of $450 (Four Hundred and Fifty US Dollars), being proceeds of his crime. He also forfeited iPhone 12 Pro Max, being the instrument of his crime to the federal government.
Source: EFCC
Similarly, he sentenced one Akinwale Olamilekan from Owena Ijesha in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State to 300 (Three Hundred) hours of community service, also at the rate of five hours of work daily for commiting internet fraud. The sentence is without an option of a fine.
Both convicts were arraigned on March 20, 2025 by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate one-count charge, bordering on illegal operation of BDC services and fraudulent impersonation, respectively.
The charge against Buba reads: "That you, Musa Buba, sometime in July 2024 at Chikanda Market, Yashikira District, Baruten Local Government Area, Kwara State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did carry on the business of another financial institution, to wit: Bureau de Change Business, without a valid license issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, contrary to Section 57 (1) & (2) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020, and punishable under Section 57(5)(b) of the same Act."
The charge against Olamilekan reads: "That you, Akinwale Olamilekan (Alias: Mary Williams), sometime in November 2024, within the judicial division of the Federal High Court, did fraudulently impersonate one Mary Williams via your iMessage account to obtain the sum of $950 (Nine Hundred and Fifty US Dollars) from one Mark Durham, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act and punishable under Section 22 (2)(b)(iv) of the same Act."
They pleaded “guilty” to their respective charge.
Convinced by the facts of the case and the uncontroverted evidence, presented by prosecution counsel, Andrew Akoja, Justice Awogboro convicted and sentenced them accordingly.
In addition to his sentence, Buba forfeited to the federal government the sum of 409,500 CFA and N1,973,200 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Three Thousand, Two Hundred Naira Only), recovered from him at the point of arrest, while Akinwale restituted his victim with the sum of $450 (Four Hundred and Fifty US Dollars), being proceeds of his crime. He also forfeited iPhone 12 Pro Max, being the instrument of his crime to the federal government.
Source: EFCC
The convict was prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a one-count charge that bordered on cheating by personation.
The charges reads: "That you, Olowookere Temitope, sometime between 2023 and 2024 in Offa, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did cheat by personation when you pretended to be unsypathisch, a verified streaming app, and in that guise induced one psychological wolf, via your discord account on twitch to send you the sum of $400 (Four Hundred Dollars) which you did receive via Gift Cards and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code.”
He pleaded “guilty” to the charge following which prosecution counsel, Innocent Mbachie reviewed the facts of the case, tendered the convict’s extra-judicial statements in evidence, including the sum of $300 (Three Hundred United States Dollars) recovered from him and prayed the court to convict and sentence him as charged.
Convinced that the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Olowookere to six months suspended jail term and ordered that the sum of $300 (Three Hundred United States Dollars) recovered from him be forfeited to the federal government.
Source: EFCC
The convict was prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a one-count charge that bordered on cheating by personation.
The charges reads: "That you, Olowookere Temitope, sometime between 2023 and 2024 in Offa, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did cheat by personation when you pretended to be unsypathisch, a verified streaming app, and in that guise induced one psychological wolf, via your discord account on twitch to send you the sum of $400 (Four Hundred Dollars) which you did receive via Gift Cards and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 321 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 324 of the same Penal Code.”
He pleaded “guilty” to the charge following which prosecution counsel, Innocent Mbachie reviewed the facts of the case, tendered the convict’s extra-judicial statements in evidence, including the sum of $300 (Three Hundred United States Dollars) recovered from him and prayed the court to convict and sentence him as charged.
Convinced that the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, Justice Abdulgafar sentenced Olowookere to six months suspended jail term and ordered that the sum of $300 (Three Hundred United States Dollars) recovered from him be forfeited to the federal government.
Source: EFCC
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At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the EFCC presented its second witness, PW 2, Dr. Musa Oladimeji Dasuki, a retired Permanent Secretary at the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), who served between 2011 and 2020.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Dasuki testified that the Kwara State Government, under the leadership of the first defendant as governor and the second defendant as finance commissioner, requested UBEC funds for the years 2013 and 2014 to pay teachers' salaries.
According to Dasuki: "The then Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, who is the second defendant in this case, initially made an oral request for the release of the 2013 UBEC Matching Grant to pay teachers' salaries. However, we insisted that such a request must be made in writing. Subsequently, the commissioner sent a letter conveying His Excellency’s approval for the release of the funds. As a result, the money was deposited into the state government's account domiciled with Skye Bank Plc."
Dasuki further explained that SUBEB initially opposed the request because they knew it would affect ongoing projects. However, they eventually approved the release after receiving assurances from Banu that the funds would be repaid once the state received its allocation from Abuja.
"A letter was written to that effect from the office of the Commissioner for Finance, signed on his behalf, and the money was released immediately upon receiving the letter," he said.
Despite the assurances, Dasuki stated that the money was never repaid.
"According to the 2013 action plan submitted to UBEC, the funds were intended for the construction of 40 standard classroom blocks with offices, 40 VIP toilets, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centers in primary and junior secondary schools across the 16 Local Government Areas of Kwara State. However, many of these projects could not be executed because the funds had been diverted," he said.
He further testified that many contractors protested due to non-payment for completed projects.
During cross-examination by Jimoh Mumini, SAN, counsel to the first defendant, Dasuki confirmed that neither the former governor nor the finance commissioner was a member of SUBEB.
Justice Abdulghafar adjourned the matter till Thursday, March 13, 2025
Source: EFCC
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the EFCC presented its second witness, PW 2, Dr. Musa Oladimeji Dasuki, a retired Permanent Secretary at the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), who served between 2011 and 2020.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Dasuki testified that the Kwara State Government, under the leadership of the first defendant as governor and the second defendant as finance commissioner, requested UBEC funds for the years 2013 and 2014 to pay teachers' salaries.
According to Dasuki: "The then Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, who is the second defendant in this case, initially made an oral request for the release of the 2013 UBEC Matching Grant to pay teachers' salaries. However, we insisted that such a request must be made in writing. Subsequently, the commissioner sent a letter conveying His Excellency’s approval for the release of the funds. As a result, the money was deposited into the state government's account domiciled with Skye Bank Plc."
Dasuki further explained that SUBEB initially opposed the request because they knew it would affect ongoing projects. However, they eventually approved the release after receiving assurances from Banu that the funds would be repaid once the state received its allocation from Abuja.
"A letter was written to that effect from the office of the Commissioner for Finance, signed on his behalf, and the money was released immediately upon receiving the letter," he said.
Despite the assurances, Dasuki stated that the money was never repaid.
"According to the 2013 action plan submitted to UBEC, the funds were intended for the construction of 40 standard classroom blocks with offices, 40 VIP toilets, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centers in primary and junior secondary schools across the 16 Local Government Areas of Kwara State. However, many of these projects could not be executed because the funds had been diverted," he said.
He further testified that many contractors protested due to non-payment for completed projects.
During cross-examination by Jimoh Mumini, SAN, counsel to the first defendant, Dasuki confirmed that neither the former governor nor the finance commissioner was a member of SUBEB.
Justice Abdulghafar adjourned the matter till Thursday, March 13, 2025
Source: EFCC