Yahaya Bello: Witness Narrates How N2.1b Mortgage was Repaid with Funds from Kogi State LGAs
The trial of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, continued on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, earlier than Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory Excessive Court docket, Maitama, Abuja, with the Tenth Prosecution Witness, PW10, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Entry {Bank} giving an in depth motion of public funds via a number of {bank} accounts.
Led in proof by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, the witness, who testified, pursuant to a subpoena, disclosed that there was a mortgage disbursement credit score within the sum of ₦2.1 billion into Keyless Nature Restricted account on December 14, 2021, captured in Exhibit AU. Requested if the mortgage was utilised, he responded: “Sure, it was utilised by the shopper.”
He additional testified that from December 24 as much as July 5, 2022, there have been a number of credit score entries from varied Kogi State native authorities accounts.
On mortgage repayments made on January 14, February 14, March 14, April 14 and Might 16, 2022, the witness stated they had been mortgage repayments, together with curiosity, disclosing that the supply of funds for the repayments got here from Kogi State native authorities areas.
He instructed the courtroom that as much as December 2022, repayments had been constantly made on the 14th of every month and that the sample remained the identical, with mortgage repayments sourced from varied Kogi State native authorities areas.
Turning to Exhibit AJ, being the assertion of account of Westwood Restricted, the witness testified that on March 21, 2018, there was a principal mortgage disbursement of ₦818,698,262.29 and that on April 8, 2020, there have been 15 money deposits by a number of people on the Lokoja department of Entry {Bank} for the mortgage reimbursement. On Might 7, 2020, he disclosed that there have been 20 money deposits by a number of people. In line with him, the avalanche of money deposits made on the Lokoja department had been used to liquidate the present mortgage, despite the fact that the account holder, Westwood Motors, was domiciled on the Nationwide Meeting department in Abuja.
The witness recognized Exhibit AH1 because the assertion of account of the Kogi State Authorities Home account opening package deal.
Pinheiro directed the witness to look at the entries from December 2018 to August 2019. Following the examination, the witness instructed the courtroom that there have been “fairly various inflows” into the account, adopted by withdrawals. He confirmed that the names of Aminu Jimoh Olarenwaju and Abdulsalami Hudu featured within the assertion, stating: “Sure, my lord, there have been a number of money withdrawals by Aminu Jimoh Olarenwaju and Abdulsalami Hudu.” He famous that after transfers had been made into the account, withdrawals adopted nearly instantly.
Referring to a transaction of December 24, 2018, the witness stated there have been money withdrawals and that the {bank} filed a Suspicious Transaction Report, STR, to the Nigerian {Financial} Intelligence Unit, NFIU, as a result of the transaction didn’t align with the shopper’s profile.
On January 15 and 16, 2019, he instructed the courtroom that there have been 10 money withdrawals of ₦10 million every by Aminu Olarenwaju on every of the 2 days, totaling ₦100 million. Equally, on March 8, 2019, he stated there have been 10 money withdrawals of ₦10 million every by the identical particular person.
The witness additionally testified that on August 1, 2019, there have been 30 money withdrawals of ₦10 million every by Abdulsalami Hudu, totaling ₦300 million. In line with him, “the sample of such withdrawals adopted instantly after there was cash within the account.”
When requested concerning the objective or narration of withdrawals by Aminu Jimoh Olarenwaju, the witness stated it was not said.
On whether or not Abdulsalami Hudu was a signatory to the account, the witness responded that he would wish to verify. Requested whether or not the aim of withdrawals by Hudu was said, he answered within the affirmative.
Turning to Exhibit AP, being the assertion of account of Fazab Enterprise Enterprise, the witness said that in Might 2022, there have been a number of credit score entries from Kogi State native governments into the account. He added that instantly after the credit, there have been a number of withdrawals by one Yakubu Adabenege Siyaka.
He instructed the courtroom that a lot of the withdrawals had been structured “so as to evade the reporting necessities,” however that the {bank} nonetheless filed a Suspicious Transaction Report.
For June and July 2022, the witness testified that there was a constant sample of inflows from varied native governments of Kogi State into the account, adopted by withdrawals by Yakubu Siyaka.
He said that from June 2022, the full influx from totally different native authorities areas of Kogi State was ₦117,938,76 (as mirrored within the exhibit). From this sum, he disclosed {that a} whole of ₦116,600,000 was withdrawn by Yakubu Siyaka. “A lot of the withdrawals had been structured to evade the STR,” he stated.
Between June and July 2022, the witness revealed that the full influx from varied native governments of the state amounted to ₦241,631,142.99, whereas whole money withdrawals by Yakubu Siyaka stood at ₦203,900,000, all withdrawn in money. He confirmed that the sample was constant, noting that when funds had been deposited by native governments, speedy money withdrawals adopted.
On Exhibit AR, the account opening package deal of E-Merchants Worldwide Restricted, the witness testified that between July 26 and December 30, 2021, there have been a number of money deposits by Abba Adaudu into the account.
Between January 18 and April 30, 2022, he stated Adaudu’s identify additionally featured as a a number of money depositor on the Lokoja department of Entry {Bank}. Confirming the department the place the withdrawals had been made in Exhibit AP, the witness stated they had been carried out on the Lokoja department.
With respect to Exhibit AO, the assertion of account of Hayzma Enterprise Enterprise, the witness instructed the courtroom that in August 2022, there have been a number of credit score entries from Kogi State native governments. He confirmed that Yakubu Siyaka featured within the assertion and made a number of money withdrawals instantly after deposits from the native governments.
For April 2021, he testified that there have been credit score entries from a number of Kogi State native governments, adopted by money withdrawals by Siyaka. Requested whether or not there was a constant sample, he answered within the affirmative, stating that he noticed a number of money entries from varied Kogi State native governments adopted by speedy withdrawals.
The witness recognized Exhibit AT because the assertion of account of Keyless Nature Restricted. From January to July 2022, he stated the account obtained credit score entries from a number of native governments of Kogi State.
He disclosed that there have been transfers out of the account quickly after the credit score inflows, together with transfers to Keyless Constancy. He additionally said that there was a switch of ₦20 million to Abba Adaudu and one other switch of ₦80 million to a different Keyless Nature account in Entry {Bank}.
In line with him, these transfers occurred instantly after receipt of funds from Kogi State native governments. He additional testified that on November 1, 2022 there was a switch of ₦20,500,000 to Ejadams Essence Restricted.
Beneath cross-examination by P.B. Daudu, SAN, counsel to the primary and second defendants, the witness confirmed that Reveals AH1 and AH2 had been account opening packages of Kogi State Authorities between January 2016 and 2024. He additionally confirmed that he was not the connection supervisor of the account however a compliance officer, including that as an worker of Entry {Bank}, he wouldn’t be aware about the inner operations of the Kogi State Authorities Home account.
The witness confirmed Exhibit AF because the subpoena he tendered earlier within the day.
Concerning the submitting of Suspicious Transaction Studies, STR, he stated the {bank} retained an excel sheet of what was filed. When requested whether or not a duplicate of the STR shaped a part of the subpoenaed paperwork, he replied: “No, my lord, the legislation doesn’t permit us to point out it to the general public.”
Requested whether or not {bank} clients had been entitled to withdraw their cash so long as it didn’t violate the legislation, the witness answered within the affirmative.
Collection of subpoenaed paperwork, tendered by the prosecution had been admitted in proof by the courtroom, marked as Reveals AG, AH1, AH2, AJ, AK, AL, AM, AN, AO, AP, AQ, AR, AS, AT and AU.
Justice Anineh adjourned the matter until March 10, 11 and 12, 2026 for continuation of trial.