The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says after probing N54.78 billion allocations to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), it recovered N2.3 billion. The Commission said six states in the North were yet to heed its directive to refund N1.1 billion.

ICPC, in its final report on the review of activities of UBEC and its offices in the 36 states of the federation including Abuja in 2005 and 2006, said it had last year recovered N500 million.

The probe was consequent upon a petition by a non-governmental organisation, Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project, alleging irregularities in the execution and access to the allocations, thereby depriving the beneficiaries, primary school pupils and junior secondary students the benefits of the basic education of the Federal Government. ICPC said it also unravelled some anomalies at the State Universal Basic Education boards where funds were disbursed without proper record, illegal and unauthorised payments and fictitious claims.