Former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has been accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of misappropriating N10 billion in public funds, with revelations that N1.6 billion of this sum was allegedly diverted for personal use, including chartering private jets.
Ahmed, who served as governor from 2015 to 2019, was arraigned on Friday before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court in Ilorin. The charges against him include 12 counts related to the mismanagement of public funds.
According to the EFCC’s statement released on Friday, Ahmed stands accused of utilizing N1.6 billion, originally allocated for state security and administrative expenses, to charter private jets for his personal travel during his tenure as governor.
One of the charges presented against him reads:
“During your tenure as Governor of Kwara State between 2015 and 2019 in Ilorin, you used an aggregate sum of N1,610,730,500.00, property of Kwara State Government, meant for the security and running cost of the Government of Kwara State to charter private jets through Travel Messengers Limited on different occasions for your local travels. This sum, which you reasonably ought to have known, formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, constitutes an offense contrary to Section 15(2)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
Ahmed faces accusations of failing to declare his assets to the EFCC officers following his arrest, a violation of Section 27(3)(c) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act No. 1 of 2004. This offense carries a potential penalty of five years imprisonment under Section 27(3) of the same Act.
