Alleged ₦110.4bn Fraud: EFCC Tenders Fresh Bank Records in Yahaya Bello’s Trial
The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, over the alleged misappropriation of ₦110.4 billion continued on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tendering additional bank records as evidence.
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.
According to the EFCC in a statement posted on its official X handle on Thursday, proceedings resumed before Justice Maryanne Anineh with further cross-examination of Prosecution Witness Six (PW6), Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank.
The EFCC disclosed that the prosecution team, led by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, informed the court that the matter was fixed for continuation of trial, during which more financial documents were presented.
During cross-examination by counsel to the first and second defendants, J.B. Daudu, SAN, the witness was asked to clarify details contained in Exhibit S1, a statement of account earlier tendered by the prosecution.
“At the beginning of your testimony, you said there are eight columns in the statement of account. By ‘description,’ what do you mean?” Daudu asked.
Responding, Bata said, “It is the description of the transaction, my Lord.”
Referring to specific entries on the statement, the witness told the court that one transaction dated January 20, 2016, showed a cheque payment of ₦10 million to Abdulsalami Hudu.
“The entry reads ‘Cq 158 Abdulsalami Hudu for ₦10,000,000,’ my Lord,” he said.
He also identified another transaction which read, “ZB chq 155 paid Halims Hotels and Tours, Lokoja, ₦2,454,400, my Lord.”
When asked whether he knew the purpose of the payments, the witness said, “I won’t know the purpose the ₦10,000,000 collected by Hudu and equally that of Halims Hotels, how it was spent and for which purpose.”
Daudu further referred the witness to Exhibit X1, which the witness confirmed was the account opening document of a company with account number 1014878995, domiciled at Zenith Bank’s Lokoja branch.
On questions relating to transactions within the account, Bata stated that entries reflected credits and debits from November 2016, including a credit from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service.
“The first entry on December 6, 2016, is a transfer from the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, a credit of ₦74,378,483.20,” he said.
He added, “The second entry on December 6, 2016, is a cheque paid to Mohammed Jami’u Sallau in the sum of ₦10,000,000, my Lord.”
However, the witness maintained that the statement of account did not indicate the purpose of the transactions.
“Looking at the narration, I would not decide the reason for the payment,” he told the court.
Cross-examining the witness on behalf of the third defendant, counsel Z.B. Abbas asked whether withdrawals made by the defendant were through cheques.
“Yes, my Lord, they were cheque withdrawals,” Bata replied, adding that the cheques were duly signed by authorised signatories.
He also confirmed that Exhibit X1 was the statement of account of the Government House account and that the third defendant was introduced to the bank as a civil servant and accountant.
“Yes, my Lord, he is an accountant,” the witness said.
Justice Anineh subsequently adjourned the matter to a later date for continuation of trial.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
