The ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello resumed on Wednesday before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presenting more damning financial evidence linking multiple suspicious cash withdrawals to Kogi State Government accounts.
Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering amounting to ₦110.4 billion.
At Wednesday’s hearing, the sixth prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, continued his testimony, detailing how large sums of cash were repeatedly withdrawn by Abdulsalami Hudu and other individuals from state government accounts between 2016 and 2018.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Bata narrated that on February 12, 2016, there were 21 withdrawals totaling ₦200 million, all made by Hudu. On March 10, 2016, additional withdrawals were observed, amounting to ₦100 million.
He went on to describe a pattern of withdrawals on June 3, 8, and 10, 2016, where ₦100 million, ₦100 million, and ₦119 million were taken out respectively. Similar cash movements continued throughout June, July, and August 2016.
“Between July 8 and July 29, there were consistent withdrawals by Abdulsalami Hudu, and the same pattern continued through August,” Bata told the court.
The witness said inflows into the account included ₦50 million from the Kogi State Statutory Revenue Account, ₦50 million from Idhu Integrated Services, and ₦15.5 million from the Ministry of Finance, all within the same period.
He added that on August 31, 2016, Hudu made 21 withdrawals amounting to ₦188.7 million, followed by further transactions in September and October. On October 27, 2016, ₦188.2 million was withdrawn in 21 tranches, and on December 21, there were 40 withdrawals in a single day by the same individual.
Bata also testified that on May 9, 2017, there were 29 withdrawals totaling ₦203.2 million, while in October and November 2017, Hudu made additional withdrawals of ₦200 million across 36 and 20 transactions respectively.
For early 2018, he told the court that on January 30 and 31, withdrawals of ₦350 million and ₦347.2 million were made, followed by ₦300 million and ₦99.1 million on February 1 and 2, amounting to a staggering ₦1.09 billion within four days.
According to the witness, the bank’s records also showed that as of November 14, 2016, the account had a zero balance before a fresh inflow of ₦74.3 million appeared on December 6, 2016, followed by withdrawals totaling ₦30 million in favour of Mohammed Jamiu Salihu.
Further transactions included ₦40 million transferred to Echies Designs & Cost Associates Ltd, ₦202 million credited from Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, and subsequent withdrawals of ₦167 million by Yusuf Abdulmumini.
On August 9, 2017, the account received ₦92.4 million, followed by ₦52 million in withdrawals by Mohammed Jamiu Salihu. Another inflow of ₦261.8 million came on August 14, after which ₦70 million was transferred to Efab Properties, and ₦68 million withdrawn by Umar Comfort and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The prosecution also tendered Exhibit R1, a U.S. dollar account statement of Whales Oil and Gas, where Bata confirmed a transfer of $11,000 to Academic Services Farida Oricha at the American International School.
In another exhibit, the witness identified debit transactions of $42,170 and $78,160 from Alyeshua Solutions Services, paid to Naima Ohunene Bello and Fatima Oziohu Bello, respectively, also linked to the same school.
After his detailed testimony, defence counsel Abdullahi Yahaya (SAN) requested an adjournment to allow the lead defence lawyer, J.B. Daudu (SAN), to cross-examine the witness the next day, arguing that he needed time to study the evidence.
However, prosecution counsel Pinheiro objected, insisting that the defence had been present throughout the proceedings and that no valid reason existed for another delay.
“EFCC is a serious agency,” Pinheiro said. “We are ready to proceed daily and conclude this case promptly. Adjournments should not be granted without cogent reasons.”
Ruling on the matter, Justice Anineh granted the adjournment in the interest of fairness, noting that while adjournments are at the court’s discretion, justice must remain the priority.
“In the interest of justice, this matter is adjourned till Thursday, November 13, 2025, for cross-examination and continuation of trial,” she ruled.
The high-profile case continues to draw national attention as the EFCC intensifies efforts to trace funds allegedly looted from Kogi State during Yahaya Bello’s administration.
