The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned six officials of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) before Justice Akanbi of the State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, over alleged fraud amounting to N96 million.
This was disclosed in a statement by the commission on its official X page.
They are facing a four-count charge of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of funds.
According to the EFCC, the accused were entrusted with funds belonging to Kwara SUBEB but allegedly diverted the money for personal use.
The accused individuals include:
- Ahmed Husain Olarewaju, Director, Finance and Supply
- Omole Omololu John, Controller, Finance and Accounts
- Fatai Oyerinde, Coordinator, Salary Unit
- Mujeeb Ibrahim, Executive Officer, Account and Salary Schedule
- Salami Temitope Bashir, staff of the Salary Unit at Kwara SUBEB
- Dauda Aweda Quozim, staff of the Salary Unit at Kwara SUBEB
Charges against the officials
One of the charges reads:
“That you, Ahmed Husain Olarewaju, Omole Omololu, Fatai Oyerinde, Mujeeb Ibrahim and Bashir Temitope Salami, between September 2018 and December 2018 at Ilorin, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, being public officers in the service of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWSUBEB) and in such capacity entrusted with a certain property to wit; the gross sum of N33,891,982.37 (Thirty-Three Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety-One Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Two Naira, Thirty-Seven Kobo) which sum formed part of the Kwara State SUBEB funds in account No: 0031236028 domiciled at Sterling Bank Plc, and you thereby committed the offence of criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.”
Another charge states:
“That you, Ahmed Husain Olarewaju, Omole Omololu, Fatai Oyerinde, Mujeeb Ibrahim and Bashir Temitope Salami, between January 2019 and June 2019 of Ilorin, within the judicial division of the Kwara State High Court, being public officers in the service of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board and in such capacity entrusted with a certain property to wit: the gross sum of N30,406,629.09 (Thirty Million, Four Hundred and Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-Nine Naira, Nine Kobo) which sum formed part of the Kwara State SUBEB funds in account No: 0031236028 domiciled at Sterling Bank Plc, and you thereby committed the offence of criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.”
Court proceedings
Upon the reading of the charges, the accused persons pleaded “not guilty.” The prosecution counsel, Andrew Akoja, then requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre.
However, the defense counsel, led by Abdullahi Lawal, made oral bail applications on behalf of the accused persons.
Justice Akanbi adjourned the case to Wednesday, April 16, 2025, for trial. He further ordered that the defendants be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Ilorin pending the determination of their bail applications.
What you should know
The EFCC’s latest charges are part of an ongoing crackdown on financial misconduct involving public officials
- In November 2024, Nairametrics reported that the commission arraigned Suleiman Garba Bulkwang, Director of Human Resources Management at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a five-count charge of fraud and money laundering totaling N223,412,909.
- The EFCC accused Bulkwang of diverting public funds through consultants and shell companies. One charge alleged that he directed Umaefulem Donatus Chibueze, Managing Director of Cees Assist Resources and Brainstask Value Resources, to transfer N138,123,969 from a total payment of N279,330,000 received from REA. Another charge revealed that N45 million was laundered through multiple companies linked to him.
- Similarly, the EFCC recently arrested five officials of the Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue for allegedly diverting N1,294,337,676.53 belonging to the Katsina State Government. According to the EFCC, the suspects colluded to funnel funds from international health organizations into a private bank account.
Investigations revealed that the funds were laundered through NADIKKO General Suppliers, a company owned by one of the officials involved.
