Yahaya Bello trial: Witness alleges ₦2.1bn loan repaid with funds from Kogi LGAs

The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, resumed on Wednesday before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness detailing the movement of large sums of public funds through multiple bank accounts.

The tenth prosecution witness (PW10), Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, testified under subpoena and presented what he described as a pattern of inflows from Kogi State local government accounts used to service loans and followed by immediate withdrawals.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Egoro told the court that a loan of ₦2.1 billion was disbursed to the account of Keyless Nature Limited on December 14, 2021. He confirmed that the facility was utilised and that repayments made between January and May 2022, including interest, were funded by credits from various Kogi State local government areas.

According to him, repayments were consistently made on the 14th of each month up to December 2022, with the source of funds traced to local government accounts.

The witness also testified on the statement of account of Westwood Limited, which showed a principal loan disbursement of ₦818.7 million in March 2018. He said the loan was later liquidated through numerous cash deposits made by several individuals at Access Bank’s Lokoja branch, despite the account being domiciled in Abuja.

Egoro further examined the Kogi State Government House account, noting what he described as significant inflows followed by immediate withdrawals. He identified repeated cash withdrawals by Aminu Jimoh Olarenwaju and Abdulsalami Hudu, including multiple transactions of ₦10 million each.

He told the court that on several occasions, withdrawals were structured in batches — sometimes 10 to 30 transactions in a single day — and that the bank filed Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit when transactions did not align with the customer’s profile.

On accounts belonging to Fazab Business Enterprise and Hayzma Business Enterprise, the witness said funds were repeatedly credited from Kogi State local governments and quickly withdrawn in cash by Yakubu Adabenege Siyaka. He stated that many withdrawals appeared structured to evade reporting thresholds, though the bank still flagged them.

For example, he said that between June and July 2022, Fazab Business Enterprise received over ₦241.6 million from local government areas, out of which about ₦203.9 million was withdrawn in cash.

Egoro also testified that the account of E-Traders International Limited recorded multiple cash deposits by one Abba Adaudu between 2021 and 2022, mainly at the Lokoja branch.

Regarding Keyless Nature Limited’s account, he said that after receiving funds from local governments, immediate transfers were made to related accounts and individuals, including transfers of ₦20 million to Abba Adaudu, ₦80 million to another company account, and ₦20.5 million to Ejadams Essence Limited.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel, P.B. Daudu, SAN, the witness clarified that he served as a compliance officer and not the account’s relationship manager, adding that he was not involved in the internal operations of the Kogi State Government House accounts. He also stated that Suspicious Transaction Reports could not be publicly disclosed under the law.

The court admitted several subpoenaed bank documents as exhibits.

Justice Anineh subsequently adjourned the matter to March 10, 11 and 12, 2026, for continuation of trial proceedings.