The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, continued on Thursday, January 29, 2026, with the continuation of testimony by Prosecution Witness Seven (PW7), Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank.
Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of ₦80,246,470,088.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty-Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty-Nine Naira, Eighty-Eight Kobo).
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Egoro gave a detailed breakdown of financial transactions involving the accounts of Fazab Business Enterprise and E-traders International Limited, which allegedly received funds traced to Kogi State local government councils.
After reminding the witness that he was still on oath, Pinheiro applied that Exhibit 33(8)—the statement of account of Fazab Business Enterprise—be shown to the witness and drew his attention to inflows recorded on May 6 and May 9, 2022.
Responding, Egoro told the court that on May 6, 2022, there were 11 inflows into the Fazab Business Enterprise account. He confirmed that the inflows came from different local government councils in Kogi State, including Yagba East, Yala, Ida and Okene.
On the transactions of May 9, 2022, the witness stated that there were three transactions, comprising two inflows. When asked to confirm whether the inflows originated from Ibaji and Dekina Local Government Areas, Egoro answered in the affirmative, saying, “Yes, my Lord, I can confirm they came from the two local governments.”
In summary, the witness told the court that the total inflow on May 6, 2022, amounted to ₦103,375,059.73, while the two inflows on May 9, 2022, totalled ₦14,563,702.56, bringing the cumulative sum to ₦117,938,762.29.
Pinheiro further drew the witness’s attention to cash withdrawals that followed the inflows. Asked to identify the individual who made a ₦10 million cash withdrawal from the account, Egoro replied, “My Lord, it is Yakubu Siyaka A.”
He confirmed that Yakubu Siyaka A. made cash withdrawals on several dates—May 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24 and 26, 2022. In total, the witness said the cash withdrawals made by Yakubu Siyaka A. between May 9 and May 26, 2022, amounted to ₦116,600,000.
When asked whether almost the entire inflow of ₦117,938,762.29 from the local governments in May 2022 was withdrawn in cash, Egoro answered, “Yes, my Lord.”
The witness further told the court that by May 31, 2022, only a balance of about ₦1,289,041.41 (One Million, Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine Thousand, Forty-One Naira, Forty-One Kobo) remained in the Fazab account.
Turning to June and July 2022, Egoro testified that there were consistent inflows from various Kogi State local governments. He stated that the total inflow for June 2022 was ₦108,793,086.69, while July 2022 recorded inflows of ₦141,718,056.30, bringing the combined total for both months to ₦250,511,142.99.
He confirmed that during the same period, Yakubu Siyaka A. continued to make cash withdrawals. According to him, the total cash withdrawals in June and July 2022 amounted to ₦198,900,000. When asked if almost ₦200 million was withdrawn in cash from the inflows of the two months, the witness responded, “Yes, my Lord, that’s correct.”
Egoro further testified that the pattern of inflows from Kogi State local governments and corresponding cash withdrawals persisted in August and September 2022, and that similar patterns were observed in October, November and December 2022.
Calculating the inflows from August to December 2022, the witness told the court that the total sum credited into the Fazab Business Enterprise account during the period was ₦2,195,273,096.27. When added to the inflows recorded in May, June and July 2022, Egoro said the total inflow from May to December 2022 amounted to ₦2,563,722,942.55.
“That is over ₦2.5 billion paid into the account of Fazab Business Enterprise from Kogi State local governments within eight months, from May to December 2022,” he said.
On withdrawals, the witness stated that cash withdrawals made by Yakubu Siyaka A. from August to December 2022 amounted to ₦266,800,000, while withdrawals for May 2022 stood at ₦116,600,000, and those for June and July 2022 amounted to ₦198,900,000.
“My Lord, the total cash withdrawal by Yakubu Siyaka A. is ₦582,300,000,” he said.
Egoro further testified that beyond cash withdrawals, there were also transfers from the Fazab account. He said that in August 2022, two transfers totalling ₦94,364,450 were made—₦40 million on August 9 to Konforte Koncept Company, and ₦54,364,450 on August 10 to Abba Adaudu.
In September 2022, he testified that two transfers were made to Yagba East Local Government on September 2, amounting to ₦9,100,359.80 and ₦11,582,274.83 respectively. He also stated that ₦25,000,000 was transferred to Shetland Logistics Services Limited on September 9, while ₦86,500,000 was transferred to Ejadams Essence Limited on September 13.
Continuing, Egoro stated that on October 11, 2022, there was an outflow of ₦80,000,000 in favour of Hadassah Katriel Global Enterprise, adding that between October and December 2022, the company received a total of seven transfers amounting to ₦430,000,000.
Turning to Exhibit 33(6)—the statement of account of E-traders International Limited—the witness said it formed part of the account opening package of the company and identified Abdullahi Jamilu as the first signatory.
Egoro then gave a chronological breakdown of cash deposits into the E-traders account, stating that between July 26, 2021, and April 6, 2022, multiple cash deposits—mostly in tranches not exceeding ₦10 million—were made by Abba Adaudu, Jamilu Abdullahi, Yusuf Abba and Haruna Mohammed, all at the Lokoja Branch of Access Bank.
In summary, the witness told the court that within the eight-month period, total cash deposits into the E-traders International Limited account amounted to ₦3,145,569,654.
When asked to confirm the calculation, Egoro replied, “Yes, my Lord.”
He further testified that although the deposits were made in Lokoja, the account was opened at the Mararaba Branch of Access Bank in Nasarawa State, with the registered address listed as Plot P316, Abuja–Keffi Expressway, Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
At the close of proceedings, defence counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, informed the court of an application dated January 19, 2026, seeking the release of the defendant’s international passport to enable him to travel for the lesser Hajj (Umrah) during Ramadan. He said the application was supported by a 24-paragraph affidavit deposed to by the defendant.
Responding, the prosecution stated that it did not oppose the application but urged that the Federal Capital Territory High Court, where the defendant is standing trial in another matter, should be formally notified.
Justice Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter to Friday, January 30, 2026, for the continuation of testimony by PW7 and further hearing.
