₦110.4bn Kogi Fraud Trial: Witness Says Bello Spent ₦1.425bn on Forex in Two Months

A bureau de change operator, Jamilu Abdullahi, has testified about transactions totalling ₦1.425 billion allegedly carried out for Abba Adaudu, as proceedings continued in the ₦110.4 billion case involving former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

Abdullahi, the nineteenth prosecution witness, appeared before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, October 15, 2026.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, he said funds received through accounts associated with him and his company were used to purchase foreign currency, which he delivered to Adaudu.

Under cross-examination, however, Abdullahi said he had no direct dealings with any of the defendants.

Witness Identifies Transfers Totalling ₦1.425 Billion

Abdullahi identified transactions involving Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited, which he attributed to Adaudu.

They included a ₦100 million credit to his company, Kunfayakun Global Limited, through FCMB in 2021, another ₦400 million transfer, six transfers of ₦100 million each on February 18, 2022, and a ₦325 million transfer on February 21, 2022.

The table summarises the transfers identified in the testimony. It does not include every cash lodgment discussed during the hearing.

Cash Deposits Were for Dollars, Witness Says

Speaking to Exhibit AR, covering transactions between July 2021 and April 2022, Abdullahi confirmed repeated ₦10 million cash lodgments through a Lokoja bank branch.

“My lord, I confirm the cash lodgments of Ten, Ten million Naira by Abba Adaudu from the Lokoja branch. My lord, I confirm I received the cash lodgments. It wasn’t for gift but for a forex transaction,” he said.

He also identified a January 18, 2022, transfer from Keyless Limited, which he said belonged to Adaudu, describing it as another foreign exchange transaction.

Asked about deposits of ₦9 million, ₦8 million and ₦8 million recorded in his name on February 22, 2022, Abdullahi denied personally making them.

He gave a similar explanation for deposits on March 10 and 11, 2022, saying he had never visited the Lokoja branch.

Transaction Narrations Could Carry Different Names

Abdullahi told the court that the names appearing in deposit narrations depended on the instructions given by Adaudu.

“My lord, I get to know the cash was paid on Abba Adaudu’s behalf because whenever he makes a lodgment of cash in my account, the indicating narration is Abba Adaudu or Jamilu Abdullahi or any other name of their choice,” he said.

He maintained that the resulting foreign currency was handed to Adaudu, sometimes at his own office and sometimes at Adaudu’s office in Area 8, Garki, Abuja.

The witness also identified Exhibit AK as his personal Access Bank account at the Aminu Kano branch in Abuja. He confirmed several ₦10 million entries but said Adaudu made the deposits for currency purchases.

School Fees Payments Also Examined

Abdullahi testified that he became familiar with accounts associated with Forza Oil, Alyeshua and Whales Oil and Gas through payments to the American International School, Abuja.

He said Adaudu supplied the payment instructions and account details for the school fees transactions.

The witness identified telex documents marked Exhibits AX 10 (1–4) as evidence of payments to the school, saying he forwarded the receipts to Adaudu.

He told the court that he received no complaint concerning the payments.

Cross-Examination Addresses Link to Defendants

Under questioning by Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN, counsel to the first and second defendants, the witness said he had no direct dealings with any defendant.

He also said he could not recall the exact total handed to Adaudu because of the number of transactions.

“I gave Abba Adaudu the cash and I have evidence,” he said.

Trial Continues October 27

Justice Anineh adjourned proceedings until October 27 and November 24, 2026, for continuation of trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Bello alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on 16 counts involving alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering concerning ₦110.4 billion.

The proceedings come after HURIWA called for transparency and accountability in matters involving Bello and former Delta governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Bello is also involved in a separate court dispute concerning his Kogi Central senatorial nomination. That electoral case is distinct from the criminal charges before Justice Anineh.

In another separate prosecution, The Bureau Journal reported the withdrawal of a judge from Ali Bello’s ₦10.27 billion trial following allegations concerning evidence tampering.

The witness’s testimony forms part of the prosecution’s evidence. The court has not delivered a verdict in the case against Yahaya Bello and his co-defendants.