The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, continued on Wednesday before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presenting further evidence of multiple suspicious cash withdrawals allegedly linked to the Kogi State Government House 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 involving ₦110.4 billion.
At the resumed hearing, the sixth prosecution witness (PW6), Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, continued his testimony under subpoena, detailing several large and repetitive cash withdrawals by Abdulsalami Hudu and others between 2016 and 2018.
Led in evidence by Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Bata walked the court through entries in Exhibit S1, confirming patterns of massive withdrawals.
“On February 12, 2016, there were 21 withdrawals by Abdulsalami Hudu totaling ₦200 million,” NAIJAONPOINT testified. “Similarly, on March 10, 2016, there were withdrawals amounting to ₦100 million.”
He added that on June 3, 8, and 10, 2016, withdrawals of ₦100 million, ₦100 million, and ₦119 million were made respectively, followed by continuous withdrawals through July and August of that year.
According to Bata, the funds originated from various inflows, including ₦50 million from the Kogi State statutory revenue account, ₦50 million from Idhu Integrated Services, and ₦15.5 million from the Ministry of Finance, all within August 2016.
He said that on August 31, 2016, there were 21 cash withdrawals totaling ₦188.7 million, followed by a similar pattern in September and October 2016.
“On October 27, 2016, there were 21 withdrawals totaling ₦188.2 million, and on December 21, 2016, 40 withdrawals were made by the same individual,” he told the court.
NAIJAONPOINT went on to list additional withdrawals of ₦203.2 million on May 9, 2017, ₦200 million on November 1, 2017, and over ₦697 million withdrawn between January 30 and February 2, 2018.
Bata further confirmed that as of November 14, 2016, the account had a zero balance, but was credited with ₦74.3 million on December 6, 2016, after which ₦30 million was immediately withdrawn by Mohammed Jamiu Salihu. He also identified other transactions including ₦40 million to Echies Designs and Cost Associate Ltd and ₦202.3 million inflow from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service.
He testified that withdrawals following the ₦202 million inflow amounted to ₦167 million, while additional inflows in August 2017 were followed by payments to Efab Properties and cash withdrawals by Umar Comfort and Abdulsalami Hudu.
The EFCC also tendered Exhibit R1, a dollar account statement belonging to Whales Oil and Gas, which reflected a $11,000 transfer to Academic Services Farida Oricha for the American International School.
Another document, Exhibit P1, showed dollar transfers from Alyeshua Solutions Services to Naima Ohunene Bello and Fatima Oziohu Bello—both allegedly linked to Bello’s family—amounting to $42,170 and $78,160, respectively.
After the testimony, defence counsel Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN, sought an adjournment to allow lead defence counsel J.B. Daudu, SAN, to cross-examine NAIJAONPOINT , citing late arrival and the need to review the testimony.
Opposing the motion, Pinheiro, SAN, argued that the defence had no valid basis for delay.
Ruling on the request, Justice Anineh granted the adjournment in the interest of justice.
“While adjournments are not automatic, the court may grant them where necessary. In the interest of justice, this matter is adjourned to Thursday, November 13, 2025, for cross-examination and continuation of trial,” she ruled.