EFCC witness details ₦117m withdrawals from Kogi LG accounts in Yahaya Bello trial

EFCC witness details ₦117m withdrawals from Kogi LG accounts in Yahaya Bello trial

A prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Olomotane Egoro, on Tuesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja how about ₦117 million was moved from the accounts of 13 local government areas in Kogi State.

Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, testified before Justice Emeka Nwite as the seventh prosecution witness (PW7) in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who is facing charges of alleged diversion and misappropriation of ₦80.2 billion in state funds.

Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Prof. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Egoro said ₦117 million was credited to the accounts of 13 LGAs on May 6, 2022, and that ₦115 million of the total was subsequently withdrawn in cash by one Yakubu Adadenega Siaka.

According to him, the affected LGAs include Yagba East, Omala, Yagba West, Idah, Okene, Ijumu, Olamaboro, Ofu, Okehi, Ogori-Mangogo, Igalamela-Odolu, Ibaji, and Dekina.

Earlier, the court heard from other bank officials summoned by the EFCC, including Mashelia Arhyel of Zenith Bank (PW4), Jesutoni Akoni of Ecobank Nigeria (PW5), and Mohammed Bello Hassan of Keystone Bank (PW6).

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Under cross-examination by defence counsel, J.B. Daudu (SAN), Arhyel confirmed that several cash withdrawals—mostly in tranches of ₦10 million—were made from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account by Abdulsalam Hudu and Comfort Olufunke.

He also listed several hotels, such as Idrinana Hotels, Edge Drive Hotels, JF Hotels, May Treasure Resort, Halims Hotels, Nostalgia Suites, and Hope Confluence Hotels, as beneficiaries of transfers from the same account.

Akoni (PW5), an Ecobank compliance officer, presented the statement of account for one Moses Wadzu Ileku, covering January to December 2016, which was admitted as Exhibit 29. He identified deposits ranging from ₦3 million to ₦20 million made by Ileku, Abdulwahab Sabo, and Shehu Bello.

Similarly, Keystone Bank’s Hassan (PW6) tendered the statement of account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company, marked as Exhibit 31, showing ₦100 million in transfers made between February 17 and 22, 2021, by Maigari Murtala and Yusuf Mubarak.

Egoro concluded his testimony by presenting 12 sets of documents in compliance with a court subpoena, noting that while some account-opening packages were unavailable, all relevant customer information had been retrieved from the bank’s database.

Justice Nwite adjourned further hearing to a later date for continuation of the trial.

EFCC witness details ₦117m withdrawals from Kogi LG accounts in Yahaya Bello trial