10/01/2026
NAKLAS Petitions EFCC Over Alleged Irregularities in Kwara Law School Scholarship Disbursement
.... Law School Scholarship Process Transparent - Commissioner Responds to NAKLAS
The National Association of Kwara State Law Students (NAKLAS), National Headquarters, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Command, over alleged lack of transparency and possible financial impropriety in the disbursement of the Kwara State Government Law School Scholarship for the 2023/2024 regular and backlog sets.
In a petition dated January 9, 2026, and addressed to the Zonal Director of the EFCC in Ilorin and obtained by JUST EVENT ONLINE TV, the association called for an urgent investigation into the activities of the Kwara State Commissioner for Tertiary Education and the Kwara State Scholarship Board.
NAKLAS cited alleged procedural irregularities, non-disclosure of vital information, and possible violations of due process in the administration of the scholarship scheme.
NAKLAS, the apex body representing Kwara State law students studying across Nigeria and in the diaspora, including those across the seven campuses of the Nigerian Law School, stated that following sustained advocacy by the association, the Kwara State Government approved a scholarship grant of ₦200,000 each for 241 law students. The approval was reportedly granted by the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON.
However, the association alleged that despite the reported disbursement to 241 beneficiaries, there remain unresolved concerns regarding an additional 119 law students whose scholarship status is still unclear.
According to NAKLAS, repeated requests for the comprehensive list of beneficiaries and the names of students with pending payments have not been honoured by the relevant authorities.
The association maintained that the continued refusal to release the details of beneficiaries raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and the proper management of public funds, prompting it to seek the intervention of the EFCC.
The issue has also reportedly drawn 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 as well as the names of the 119 students whose payments were allegedly pending. The NBA noted that access to the information was necessary for proper record-keeping and to ensure compliance with due process and the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.
In its petition to the EFCC, NAKLAS urged the anti-graft agency to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the scholarship disbursement, determine whether public funds were properly managed, and ensure accountability where necessary.
Reacting to the development, the Kwara State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Saadatu Modibo Kawu, told Just Event Online that the matter had been brought to her attention. She stated that the list of beneficiaries, including their names, mobile numbers, and other relevant details, had since 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 in the exercise 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 mandatory requirement for scholarship registration.
