Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Henry Owen
The Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday, November 10, 2025, adjourned the trial of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, till Tuesday, November 11, 2025, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continued its case on the alleged ₦80.2 billion fraud.
Bello, who governed Kogi State between 2016 and 2024, is facing prosecution for the alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds belonging to the state. Monday’s proceedings before Justice Emeka Nwite featured a series of testimonies from key witnesses representing major Nigerian banks — Zenith Bank, Ecobank, Keystone Bank, and Access Bank — offering new insights into the complex financial transactions linked to the case.
During the day’s session, Mashelia Arhyel, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, testified as the fourth prosecution witness (PW4). Under cross-examination by defence counsel J.B. Daudu, SAN, Arhyel confirmed that multiple cash withdrawals, often in batches of ₦10 million, were made from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account by individuals identified as Abdulsalam Hudu and Comfort Olufunke.
He further disclosed that several hotels, including Idrinana Hotels, Edge Drive Hotels, JF Hotels, May Treasure Resort, Halims Hotels, Nostalgia Suites, and Hope Confluence Hotels, received various payments from the same government account. The witness was later discharged after prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, opted not to conduct a re-examination.
The EFCC then presented Jesutoni Akoni, a compliance officer with Ecobank Nigeria Limited, as its fifth witness. She tendered account statements of Moses Wadzu Ileku (covering January to December 2016), which showed multiple deposits ranging from ₦3 million to ₦20 million by various individuals.
Similarly, Mohammed Bello Hassan, a relationship officer with Keystone Bank, appeared as the sixth witness. He produced account records of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company, revealing that ₦100 million was transferred into the company’s account in February 2021 by Maigari Murtala and Yusuf Mubarak. Under cross-examination, he admitted that he did not know the senders personally.
The final witness for the day, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, tendered 12 sets of documents in compliance with a court subpoena. He explained that while some account opening packages were missing, the bank provided sufficient customer details extracted from its database.
After a long day of proceedings, Justice Nwite adjourned the case till Tuesday, November 11, 2025, for the continuation of trial.
The case, which has drawn national attention, continues to highlight the EFCC’s determination to pursue alleged financial crimes by public officials. For Yahaya Bello, however, the question remains whether the prosecution can establish a direct link between the former governor and the staggering ₦80.2 billion allegedly diverted from Kogi State’s treasury.
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