By David Oluwatosin
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that he handled foreign exchange transactions worth ₦1.425 billion on behalf of Abba Adaudu between December 2021 and February 2022.
The witness, a bureau de change operator, Jamilu Abdullahi, who testified as Prosecution Witness 19 (PW19), said he converted the funds into foreign currencies and delivered the proceeds to Adaudu.
Abdullahi gave the testimony on Thursday, October 15, 2026, before Justice Maryanne Anineh while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN.
Reviewing transaction records tendered as exhibits, the witness identified several cash lodgments and bank transfers into accounts associated with him and his company, Kunfayakun Global Limited. He maintained that the funds were meant for foreign exchange transactions arranged by Adaudu and were not gifts.
While examining Exhibit AR, containing transactions between July 2021 and April 2022, Abdullahi confirmed cash lodgments of ₦10 million each made by Adaudu through the Lokoja branch.
“My lord, I confirm the cash lodgments of Ten, Ten million Naira by Abba Adaudu from the Lokoja branch. My lord, I confirm I received the cash lodgments. It wasn’t for gift but for a forex transaction,” he told the court.
He said the transactions were for the purchase of United States dollars.
The witness also identified a January 18, 2022, transfer from Keyless Limited, which he said belonged to Adaudu, insisting that the funds were equally meant for foreign exchange.
On cash lodgments of ₦9 million, ₦8 million and another ₦8 million recorded on February 22, 2022, Abdullahi denied personally making the deposits, despite his name appearing in the transaction records.
“In fact, I have never been to that branch in my life, but my name has been used as a beneficiary as any other person’s name can be used as the receiver, and it was a dollar transaction for Abba Adaudu,” he said.
He gave a similar explanation for multiple lodgments recorded against his name on March 10 and 11, 2022, maintaining that he had never visited the Lokoja branch.
According to him, the names appearing in the transaction narrations depended on the instructions provided by Adaudu.
“My lord, I get to know the cash was paid on Abba Adaudu’s behalf because whenever he makes a lodgment of cash in my account, the indicating narration is Abba Adaudu or Jamilu Abdullahi or any other name of their choice,” he said.
Abdullahi reiterated that the transactions were for foreign exchange and that he routinely delivered the converted currencies to Adaudu.
“My lord, I always send the converted forex to Abba Adaudu. All the transactions at the Lokoja were from Abba Adaudu,” he told the court.
The witness also identified Exhibit AK as his personal account with Access Bank, Aminu Kano branch, Abuja. He confirmed entries showing cash lodgments of ₦10 million each on December 29 and 30, 2021, and January 1 and 31, 2022, but said the deposits were made by Adaudu for foreign exchange transactions.
He explained that he sometimes delivered the purchased dollars to Adaudu at his own office and, on other occasions, at Adaudu’s office in Area 8, Garki, Abuja.
On transactions involving Kunfayakun Global Limited, Abdullahi confirmed a ₦100 million credit from Keyless Nature Limited through FCMB, Zone 4, in 2021, which he attributed to Adaudu.
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He also identified a ₦400 million transfer through Keyless Nature Limited and multiple transfers of ₦100 million each, totalling ₦600 million, from Ejadams Essence Limited on February 18, 2022. He said the companies and transactions were associated with Adaudu.
The witness further identified a ₦325 million transfer through Ejadams Essence Limited on February 21, 2022, which he also attributed to Adaudu.
He maintained that the funds were used to purchase foreign currencies and that he delivered the proceeds to Adaudu.
Continuing his testimony, Abdullahi explained his involvement in payments to the American International School, Abuja (AISA), for school fees on behalf of children whose payment instructions and account details, he said, were provided by Adaudu.
He identified accounts associated with Forza Oil, Alyeshua and Whales Oil and Gas as accounts used in making the payments.
The witness also identified Fatima Bello, Zahra Bello and Na’ima Bello as names familiar to him in connection with the school fees transactions.
He said he transferred funds to the school’s account using the details supplied by Adaudu and identified Exhibits AX 10 (1–4), described as telexes, as receipts evidencing the payments.
According to him, he forwarded the receipts to Adaudu as proof of payment and received no complaints from Adaudu or the children concerning the transactions.
During cross-examination by counsel to the first and second defendants, Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN, the witness said he had no direct dealings with any of the defendants.
Asked about the total amount he gave Adaudu, the witness said he could not recall the exact sum because of the numerous transactions.
“I gave Abba Adaudu the cash and I have evidence,” he said.
Following the testimony, Justice Anineh adjourned the case until October 27 and November 24, 2026, for continuation of trial.
Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving ₦110.4 billion.
