*… Commissioner responds.
The National Association of Kwara State Law Students (NAKLAS), National Headquarters, has submitted a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Command, over alleged lack of transparency and suspected financial impropriety in the distribution of the Kwara State Government Law School Scholarship for the 2023/2024 regular and backlog sets.
In the petition dated January 9, 2026, and addressed to the EFCC Zonal Director in Ilorin, a copy of which was obtained by iDeemlawful, the association called for an immediate investigation into the activities of the Kwara State Commissioner for Tertiary Education and the Kwara State Scholarship Board.
NAKLAS raised concerns over alleged procedural lapses, failure to disclose key information, and possible breaches of due process in the administration of the scholarship scheme.
NAKLAS, the umbrella body representing Kwara State law students studying across Nigeria and in the diaspora, including those at the seven campuses of the Nigerian Law School, explained that after sustained advocacy, the Kwara State Government approved a scholarship grant of ₦200,000 each for 241 law students.
The approval was reportedly given by the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON.
However, the association alleged that despite claims that funds were disbursed to 241 beneficiaries, concerns remain unresolved regarding an additional 119 law students whose scholarship status is reportedly unclear.
According to NAKLAS, repeated demands for the full list of beneficiaries and the names of students with outstanding payments have not been met by the relevant authorities.
The association insisted that the persistent refusal to release beneficiary details raises serious questions about transparency, accountability, and the effective management of public funds, prompting its decision to seek the EFCC’s intervention.
The matter has also reportedly attracted the attention of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin Branch.
In a letter dated October 24, 2025, and addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Scholarship Board, the NBA requested the official list of the 241 beneficiaries, alongside the names of the 119 students whose payments were allegedly pending.
The NBA stated that access to the information was required for proper documentation and to ensure adherence to due process and the Freedom of Information Act.
In its petition to the EFCC, NAKLAS urged the anti-graft agency to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the scholarship disbursement process, ascertain whether public funds were appropriately managed, and enforce accountability where necessary.
Responding to the development, the Kwara State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Saadatu Modibo Kawu, told JEO that the issue had been brought to her attention.
She said the list of beneficiaries, containing their names, mobile numbers, and other relevant details, had already been submitted to her office by the Kwara State Scholarship Board.
According to the commissioner, the Ministry of Tertiary Education has forwarded the same list to the Executive Governor of Kwara State.
She added that the 241 beneficiaries captured were those who had registered with the Kwara State Residents Registration Agency (KWASRRA) and were required to provide their State Security Identification (SSID) numbers as a compulsory requirement for scholarship registration.