-
EFCC witness testifies to multiple ₦10m withdrawals linked to former Governor Yahaya Bello.
-
Bank official tells court transactions “followed due process” under UBA supervision.
-
Fresh revelations surface as EFCC presents more witnesses in ₦110bn fraud case.
A witness has confirmed that former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello made multiple N10m withdrawals in his fraud case against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Testifying before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, on Wednesday, the witness, Ms. Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), detailed several transactions linked to the former governor and two of his aides.
ATTENTION: Click “HERE” to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!
Bello, who served as governor between 2016 and 2024, is standing trial alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge of money laundering filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The case centres on alleged misappropriation of ₦110 billion in state funds.
READ ALSO: EFCC Warns Internet Fraud Fuelling Visa Restrictions for Nigerians
Abimbola, who appeared as the third prosecution witness (PW-3), told the court that all transactions involving her bank “followed due banking process,” insisting that no regulation was breached. She clarified that while she represented UBA in court, she was not the manager of the Kogi Government House account, which was domiciled in Lokoja.
During cross-examination by Mr. J.B. Daudu (SAN), Bello’s lead counsel, the witness said her primary duty was to protect the bank from “legal penalty, reputational damage, and financial loss.”
Citing exhibits before the court, Abimbola confirmed that one of the defendants, Abdulsalami Hudu, made multiple ₦10 million withdrawals between July 31 and August 6, 2019. However, she noted that she was “not in a position to ascertain the purpose of the withdrawals.”
She added that while banks may inquire about large transfers, such scrutiny does not usually extend to cash withdrawals, stressing that “a banker does not act as an internal auditor for customers.”
Further testifying, Abimbola confirmed that a transfer of ₦100 million—split into two tranches of ₦50 million each—was recorded as “the governor’s security fund.” Asked whether the funds were used for their stated purpose, she replied, “My Lord, I am not privy to the details of the transaction.”
The witness also stated that she had never met any of the defendants personally and only acted on behalf of the bank in compliance matters.
Meanwhile, in earlier proceedings, another prosecution witness, Mashelia Arhyel Dada, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank Maitama Branch, revealed that over ₦1.09 billion was withdrawn from the Kogi Government House Administration Account within three days in 2019.
Led in evidence by Prof. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Dada provided seven sets of documents that showed multiple cash movements allegedly in breach of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s cashless policy.
The EFCC maintained that these transactions formed part of a broader pattern of financial misconduct under the former governor’s administration.
