EFCC: Witness Reveals ₦1.425bn Forex Deals in Yahaya Bello’s ₦110.4bn Fraud Trial
Abuja, Nigeria—October 15, 2026—A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has told an FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that transactions totalling ₦1.425 billion were used to purchase foreign currencies over a two-month period in late 2021 and early 2022.
The witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a bureau de change operator testifying as Prosecution Witness 19 (PW19), said he converted the funds into United States dollars and delivered the currencies to one Abba Adaudu.
Abdullahi gave the evidence on Thursday before Justice Maryanne Anineh while being led by prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN.
Details of the Transactions
The witness identified several cash lodgments and bank transfers into accounts linked to him and his company. He told the court the funds were not gifts but were specifically for foreign exchange transactions carried out on Adaudu’s instructions.
He confirmed multiple ₦10 million cash deposits made through the Lokoja branch, a ₦100 million transfer, a ₦400 million transfer, and several ₦100 million transfers that together amounted to hundreds of millions of naira.
Abdullahi insisted he never personally visited the Lokoja branch and that his name or other names were simply used as beneficiaries on Adaudu’s orders.
“My lord, I always send the converted forex to Abba Adaudu. All the transactions at the Lokoja were from Abba Adaudu,” he said.
The witness also linked some of the funds to school fee payments for children named Fatima Bello, Zahra Bello and Na’ima Bello at the American International School, Abuja.
He said he transferred money to the school’s account using details supplied by Adaudu and later sent the payment receipts to him.
Cross-Examination and Adjournment
Under cross-examination, Abdullahi stated that he had no direct dealings with any of the defendants in the dock.
When asked about the total amount of dollars he handed over, he said he could not recall the exact figure because the transactions were numerous but insisted he had evidence of the deliveries.
Justice Anineh adjourned the matter to October 27 and November 24, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
Bello is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge of criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving ₦110.4 billion.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the case.
This report is based on the official statement released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on October 15, 2026.
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