The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, took a dramatic turn on Friday as Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama Division, Abuja, dismissed a contentious objection raised by the defence and ordered the prosecution to proceed with its case, deepening the courtroom tension around the alleged ₦80.2 billion fraud.
Bello is currently facing a 19-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged money laundering amounting to ₦80,246,470,088.88, in what has become one of the most closely watched corruption trials in recent Nigerian history.
At the resumed hearing, the court delivered a decisive ruling on an earlier objection by Bello’s counsel, J. B. Daudu, who had argued that the prosecution was contradicting its own witness and should have declared him hostile. The claim was strongly countered by lead prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, who insisted the witness remained consistent and clear in his testimony.
In a firm and unambiguous ruling, Justice Nwite described the defence’s objection as “speculative and misconceived,” invoking Section 239 of the Evidence Act to justify his decision. The objection was accordingly overruled, clearing the way for the prosecution to continue its case without interruption.
Moments after the ruling, the courtroom atmosphere shifted as the prosecution resumed examination of its twelfth witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a Bureau de Change operator whose testimony exposed intricate layers of cash-based dollar transactions allegedly linked to the defendant’s associates.
Abdullahi told the court that he conducted multiple foreign exchange transactions on behalf of one Abba Adaudu, whom he identified as his primary contact in the dealings. In a revelation that raised eyebrows, the witness recounted delivering cash dollars to a police officer at Fraser Suites in Abuja on Adaudu’s instruction.
“I remember giving Ali, a MOPOL officer, dollars at Fraser Suites. Whenever Abba was unavailable, he sent people to collect the money,” Abdullahi testified.
The witness further detailed how he relied on a network of fellow Bureau de Change operators to execute high-value transactions, especially when he lacked sufficient dollar inflow. He named Alyeshua Services, Forza Oil and Gas, and Whales Oil and Gas Limited as companies owned by his colleagues who assisted in processing payments.
According to Abdullahi, some of these transactions were tied to the payment of school fees for Bello’s children, Zahra and Fatima. He told the court that the instruction came directly from Adaudu, who allegedly delivered large sums of cash in dollars for the purpose.
“He came with a friend on a Saturday with cash in dollars and asked me to transfer the money for school fees. The transfers were successful,” he said.
In a critical clarification during cross-examination, Abdullahi stated that the $300,000 used for the school fees did not originate from any of the bank accounts previously mentioned in court, but was handed to him physically in cash.
“The money was given to me in cash by Abba Adaudu and his associate. I did not use funds from those accounts,” he emphasized.
He also confirmed making a single statement to the EFCC on May 10, 2022, and acknowledged that while he did not personally execute all transactions, he facilitated and instructed them through his network.
The testimony offered a rare glimpse into the informal yet highly coordinated structure of the Bureau de Change market, where operators routinely collaborate to move large volumes of money across currencies and borders.
As proceedings drew to a close, Justice Nwite adjourned the case to May 6 and 7, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination and further trial, setting the stage for what promises to be even more explosive revelations in a case that continues to test the strength of Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework.