A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Williams Abimbola, on Wednesday told Justice Maryann Anenih of a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory that no banking regulation was violated in the withdrawals made by the Kogi State Government House administration under former Governor Yahaya Bello.
Bello, alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are facing a 16-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N110.4bn, brought against them by the federal government.
Abimbola, a Compliance Officer with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), said the bank acted strictly within the law in processing the transactions conducted by one of the defendants, Abdulsalami Hudu, in the ongoing money laundering trial.
During cross-examination by defence counsel, A. M. Aliu, she stated that none of the withdrawals exceeded the N10m cash withdrawal limit permitted by banking regulations.
NAIJAONPOINT , who had earlier testified before the Federal High Court in case number FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Yahaya Adoza Bello, confirmed that the Kogi Government House account was domiciled in Lokoja but maintained that all transactions complied with stipulated banking procedures.
She clarified that although she was not the relationship or account manager of the Government House account, the withdrawals and transfers made through the bank were properly documented and within regulatory bounds.
Under cross-examination by Yahaya Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, NAIJAONPOINT agreed that her responsibility as a compliance officer included protecting the bank from legal, reputational, and financial risks.
She, however, reiterated that no law was breached in the transactions under scrutiny.
Abimbola confirmed that Abdulsalami Hudu made multiple withdrawals of N10m each between July 31 and August 6, 2019, but said she was not in a position to know the purpose of the withdrawals. She explained that while banks often request the purpose of a transfer, such inquiries are not mandatory for cash withdrawals.
“There was no withdrawal that went beyond N10m in all the transactions presented before the court,” she said.
NAIJAONPOINT , who has worked with UBA for 19 years, said customers are entitled to withdraw their funds as long as proper authorization is provided.
She identified the authorised signatories to the Kogi Government House account as of 2004 as Christopher Enefola, Permanent Secretary; Onekutu Daniel, Chief Accountant; and Hudu Abdulsalami, Accountant. She also referenced a 2008 letter listing Elder P. S. Ocheni, Abbas Ibrahim Abubakar, and Abdulsalami Hudu as signatories.
When presented with a May 27, 2019, bank statement by defence counsel, NAIJAONPOINT confirmed that the credit narration read “Governor’s Security Fund” and reflected two tranches of N50m each.
Asked whether she could confirm that the funds were not used for security purposes, she replied, “My Lord, I am not privy to the details of the transaction and cannot categorically answer that question.”
She further testified that she had never met the first defendant, Yahaya Bello, or the second defendant, Umar Oricha, before the case.
Meanwhile, counsel to the first defendant, Daudu, urged the court to hear a pending application challenging its jurisdiction before proceeding with further testimonies. But prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, opposed the move, arguing that the application was not ripe for hearing.
The EFCC also called its fourth subpoenaed witness, Jesutoni Akoni, a Compliance Officer with Ecobank, who presented a 13-page document before the court.
However, counsel to the second defendant, A. M. Aliyu, objected to its admissibility, citing non-compliance with the Evidence Act.
It was later discovered that the document was addressed to Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court. The prosecution consequently withdrew the cover letter.
During cross-examination, Akoni admitted that Abdulsalami Hudu’s name was not among the signatories to the account in question.
Justice Maryann Anenih adjourned further hearing in the matter to October 9, 2025.