The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday heard fresh details in the ongoing trial involving an alleged N80.2 billion fraud case linked to Yahaya Bello, as a prosecution witness described how large sums of money were converted from naira to United States dollars.
The case, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is one of the high-profile corruption trials currently before the court. It centres on allegations of money laundering during Bello’s time as governor of Kogi State, a claim he has denied.
At Thursday’s hearing, a bureau de change operator, Jamilu Abdullahi, appeared as the 12th prosecution witness. He gave detailed testimony about financial transactions that prosecutors say are connected to the case.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, Abdullahi told the court that he handled several large cash transactions involving funds paid into the account of a company known as E-Traders International Limited.
According to him, the deposits were made on different dates and involved significant amounts of money. He said the payments were made by an individual identified as Abba Adaudu, whom he dealt with directly during the transactions.
Abdullahi explained that although his name appeared in different forms in some of the transaction records, he did not personally make the deposits.
“The names reflected were used as narration, but I did not make the deposits at the Lokoja branch,” he told the court.
He further stated that once the funds were received, he converted the naira into dollars and handed the cash over to Adaudu.
The witness said the transactions took place over several months, including periods between October 2021 and March 2022. During this time, he handled multiple payments that were later converted into foreign currency.
Providing more details, Abdullahi said his company, Kunfayakun Global Limited, received N100 million and N400 million in December 2021 from another company, Keyless Nature Limited. He told the court that the funds were meant for purchasing dollars.
According to him, the money was converted and delivered as requested.
He also testified that in February 2022, he received an additional N600 million in several instalments. He said another N325 million was transferred through a banking process known as Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), all for the purpose of converting the funds into dollars.
Abdullahi said the converted dollars were usually handed over either at his office or at Adaudu’s office located in Area 8, Abuja.
“What I can recall is that he usually comes to my office to collect the dollars,” he said.
The EFCC has alleged that these transactions form part of a wider money laundering scheme involving public funds. Money laundering refers to the process of concealing the origin of illegally obtained money, often by passing it through a series of transactions to make it appear legitimate.
Cases like this have become common in Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts, especially involving former public officials. The EFCC has been actively prosecuting such cases as part of broader efforts to promote transparency and accountability in governance.
However, the trial took a brief turn during the proceedings when defence counsel, J. B. Daudu, raised an objection.
Daudu argued that the prosecution was attempting to contradict its own witness during questioning. He said that if the witness’s statements were inconsistent, the proper legal step would be to declare him a hostile witness.
“If the witness intends to contradict himself, he should be declared hostile,” he told the court.
In response, Pinheiro disagreed with the defence’s position. He maintained that the witness had remained consistent in his testimony and that any differences in his statements were due to the passage of time.
The presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, listened to both sides before deciding to adjourn the case.
He fixed April 24 for a ruling on the objection and for the continuation of the trial.
The case has attracted significant public attention because it involves a former state governor and large sums of money. Yahaya Bello served as governor of Kogi State from 2016 to 2024 and was one of the youngest governors in Nigeria at the time of his election.
During his tenure, his administration faced both praise and criticism, particularly over issues related to governance and financial management.
Since leaving office, he has been under investigation by the EFCC over allegations of financial misconduct. The commission claims that public funds were diverted and laundered through various channels, including private companies and financial transactions.
Bello has denied the allegations and is expected to present his defence as the trial progresses.
Anti-corruption efforts remain a key issue in Nigeria, where concerns about misuse of public funds have persisted for many years. Successive governments have promised to tackle corruption, but challenges remain in ensuring that cases are concluded quickly and transparently.
For now, the court will continue to hear evidence from both the prosecution and the defence. As the trial unfolds, more details are expected to emerge about the financial transactions in question.
The adjournment to April 24 means that both legal teams will return to court to continue arguments, starting with the judge’s ruling on the objection raised during Thursday’s session.
As Nigerians continue to follow the case, it remains one of several ongoing legal battles involving former public officials, highlighting the continued focus on fighting corruption and ensuring that those accused of wrongdoing are held accountable under the law.