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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello over alleged N110.4 billion fraud continued on Wednesday before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with shocking revelations of multiple suspicious cash withdrawals from 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, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
At Wednesday’s proceedings, the sixth prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, detailed numerous high-value cash withdrawals allegedly linked to the Kogi State Government House accounts between 2016 and 2018.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, the witness said that on February 12, 2016, Abdulsalami Hudu, one of the defendants, made 21 cash withdrawals amounting to N200 million.
Similar withdrawals, he added, occurred on several other dates, including March 10, June 3, June 8, and June 10, 2016, with sums ranging between N100 million and N119 million withdrawn each time.
According to Bata, “Between July 8 and July 29, 2016, there were consistent withdrawals by Hudu, a trend that continued through August of that year.”
He explained that inflows into the accounts often came from Kogi State’s statutory revenue and various ministries before being rapidly withdrawn in cash.
He said, “On August 2, 2016, there was an inflow of N50 million from the Kogi State statutory revenue account.
“Other inflows included N50 million from Idhu Integrated Services on August 9 and N15.5 million from the Ministry of Finance on August 10.”
The witness told the court that the withdrawals continued into late 2016 and 2017, with N188.7 million withdrawn on August 31, N188.2 million on October 27, and 40 separate withdrawals on December 21, all by the same individual, Abdulsalami Hudu.
For 2017 and 2018, Bata said the same pattern persisted.
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On May 9, 2017, he reported 29 withdrawals totalling N203 million; on October 12, 2017, 36 withdrawals; and on November 1, 2017, 20 withdrawals amounting to N200 million.
Between January 30 and February 2, 2018, over N1.09 billion was withdrawn in four days.
He also identified various inflows and transfers linked to individuals and corporate entities. These included N202 million from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service on April 21, 2017, followed by N167 million in cash withdrawals; and N261.8 million on August 14, 2017, after which N70 million was transferred to Efab Properties.
The prosecution also tendered bank statements linked to Whales Oil and Gas and Alyeshua Solutions Services.
Bata confirmed that these accounts were used for dollar-denominated transfers, including payments to the American International School, Abuja, on behalf of Naima Ohunene Bello and Fatima Oziohu Bello, totalling $120,330.
Following the detailed testimony, defence counsel Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN, requested an adjournment to enable the lead counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, to cross-examine the witness.
Yahaya argued that Daudu needed time to study the testimony after arriving late to the session.
However, EFCC counsel Pinheiro opposed the request, arguing that the defence had no valid grounds for the adjournment since they had been present throughout the proceedings.
“EFCC is a serious agency; we are consistent with our witnesses and ready to proceed every day to conclude this matter,” he said.
Justice Anineh, while agreeing that adjournments should not be granted as a matter of routine, held that one could be allowed in the interest of justice.
She subsequently adjourned the matter until Thursday, November 13, 2025, for cross-examination and continuation of trial.
