Former Kwara Governor spent security and operational costs on private jets charter — EFCC

Ahmed Abdulfatah, the former governor of Kwara State, is facing allegations of financial impropriety during his tenure. As reported earlier, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will arraign him before the Ilorin division of the Federal High Court on charges related to the misuse of state funds amounting to billions of naira.

According to the EFCC, Abdulfatah stands accused of misappropriating the sum of N1,610,730,500.00 billion. This amount was purportedly spent on chartering private jets for his local travels during his time as governor, the funds which were designated for the security and operational costs of the state government. The commission alleges that these actions constitute a criminal breach of trust and theft.

“Ahmed (while being the Governor of Kwara State) between 2015 and 2019 in Ilorin within the jurisdiction of this honourable court used an aggregate sum of N1,610,730,500, 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 and which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust or theft,” the Punch reported.

Moreover, the former governor is facing additional charges, including the fraudulent conversion of N400 million out of a N1 billion short-term loan secured by the Kwara State Government from Ecobank Nigeria Limited. The loan was intended for the completion of ongoing public projects within the state.

The EFCC is prosecuting him on 12 counts, reflecting a broad range of allegations concerning the abuse of office and mismanagement of state funds, totalling up to N10 billion.

This is not the first time Abdulfatah has come under the EFCC’s scrutiny. He had been previously invited for questioning by the agency before being formally charged.

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