₦80.2bn fraud: Witnesses reveal cash withdrawals in Yahaya Bello’s trial
Fresh revelations emerged on Monday in the ongoing ₦80.2 billion fraud trial of Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi State, as several bank officials detailed multiple cash withdrawals and questionable hotel payments allegedly linked to Kogi State Government accounts.
This came during proceedings before Emeka Nwite, Justice of the Federal High Court, Abuja, where Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged diversion and misappropriation of state funds during his tenure as governor.
The court session was a continuation of cross-examination of the fourth prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, as well as testimonies from three other bank officials representing Ecobank, Keystone Bank, and Access Bank.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, J.B. Daudu (SAN), Arhyel confirmed that several cash withdrawals, often in multiples of ₦10 million, were made from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account by two individuals identified as Abdulsalam Hudu and Comfort Olufunke.
He further testified that several hotels, including Idrinana Hotels, Edge Drive Hotels, JF Hotels, May Treasure Resort, Halims Hotels, Nostalgia Suites, and Hope Confluence Hotels, were beneficiaries of payments from the same account.
The prosecution, led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), declined to re-examine Arhyel, after which the court discharged the witness.
The fifth prosecution witness, Jesutoni Akoni, a compliance officer with Ecobank Nigeria Limited, testified under subpoena and presented the statement of account of one Moses Wadzu Ileku for the period covering January to December 2016.
According to EFCC, the document, admitted in evidence as Exhibit 29, showed multiple deposits made by Ileku, Abdulwahab Sabo, and Shehu Bello, ranging from ₦3 million to ₦20 million.
Also testifying, Mohammed Hassan, a relationship officer with Keystone Bank, appeared as the sixth prosecution witness (PW6).
He produced the statement of account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company, which was admitted as Exhibit 31.
Hassan told the court that between February 17 and 22, 2021, a total of ₦100 million was transferred into the account by individuals identified as Maigari Murtala and Yusuf Mubarak.
He, however, stated that he had no personal knowledge of the two.
Also testifying, the seventh prosecution witness (PW7), Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank.
Egoro presented 12 sets of documents in compliance with a court subpoena and informed the court that while some account opening packages could not be retrieved, sufficient customer details were extracted from the bank’s database.
After both prosecution and defence counsel agreed on the admissibility of the documents, Nwite admitted them into evidence without objection and subsequently adjourned the case to Tuesday, November 11, 2025, for continuation of trial.
