Amanze Chinonye
The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, took a dramatic turn on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, as a prosecution witness revealed extensive cash movements in and out of the statutory accounts of Kogi State Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Bello, who governed Kogi State from January 2016 to 2024, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 19 counts of money laundering, allegedly involving ₦80.246 billion.
The charges cover the period of his tenure as governor and centre on the alleged diversion of statutory revenue and VAT funds from Kogi State LGAs into accounts linked to the State Government House.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelDuring proceedings before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, the seventh prosecution witness, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, testified on bank transactions linked to the former governor.
Under examination by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Egoro identified and explained multiple bank documents admitted as evidence, including Exhibits 34(1) and 34(2), which cover the Kogi State Government House account statements from January 1, 2016, to January 31, 2024.
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Egoro highlighted a series of suspicious cash transactions. On December 21, 2018, he confirmed that ₦30 million was withdrawn in favour of Aminu Jimoh Olarenwaju, including three separate ₦10 million withdrawals.
Additional cash payments totaling ₦50 million were made to the same beneficiary three days later. Similar patterns were observed on March 8, 2019, when ₦100 million was withdrawn in ten ₦10 million installments.
The witness also noted that on August 1, 2019, ₦300 million was withdrawn in cash for Abdulsalami Hudu. Intriguingly, the account had received the same amount the previous day, a practice Egoro described as “suspicious.”
Further evidence included Exhibit 33(8), a statement from Faza Business Enterprise covering January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022. Egoro testified that on May 6, 2022, the account, which held just ₦75,728, received ₦103.4 million from statutory revenue and VAT allocations of 11 Kogi State LGAs, including Omala, Yagba West, Idah, Okene, Ijumu, Olamaboro, Ofu, Okehi, and Ogori-Magongo.
Additional inflows from Ibaji and Dekina LGAs on May 9, 2022, brought the total from 13 LGAs to approximately ₦117 million. According to the witness, these funds were subsequently withdrawn in cash by Yakubu Adebenege Siyaka through cheque transactions between May 9 and May 26, 2022, leaving a closing balance of about ₦1.4 million.
The EFCC has maintained that the alleged transactions reflect a consistent pattern of fund diversion from LGA statutory accounts to private beneficiaries, raising questions about governance and oversight of public finances in Kogi State. Bello and his supporters have publicly claimed the charges are politically motivated, describing them as “false and fictitious.”
The trial, which has attracted nationwide attention due to the sheer scale of the alleged diversion ₦80.2 billion and its political implications, underscores concerns over transparency in state and local government financial management in Nigeria.
Observers note that the pattern of multiple ₦10 million withdrawals across different accounts and beneficiaries could have wide-ranging implications for LGA autonomy and statutory revenue allocation.
Justice Nwite adjourned the trial to January 29 and 30, 2026, and February 4 and 5, 2026, for continuation.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
