No Evidence Linking Yahaya Bello To LGA Transactions, EFCC Witness Testifies

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, told the Federal High Court, Abuja, that the name of the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, did not appear in any of the local government financial transactions under investigation in his ongoing N80.2bn money laundering trial.

The witness, Olomotane Egoro, a Compliance Officer with Access Bank Plc and the seventh prosecution witness, made the disclosure while testifying under cross-examination by Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Egoro, who was subpoenaed by the EFCC, confirmed to the court that Bello neither appeared as a sender nor a recipient in the transactions involving funds from the 21 local government areas of Kogi State.

Earlier in the proceedings, Daudu SAN told the court that the trial of the former governor over alleged local government fund transfers was political in nature and not a money laundering case.

He made the clarification following remarks by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, who had described the payment patterns of the local governments as “stealing by disguise.”

While giving evidence, the banker admitted that Bello never served as a local government chairman in any of the councils in Kogi State and that the contracts referenced in the exhibits were awarded by local government chairmen to various contractors.

Egoro further reiterated that Bello’s name did not appear anywhere in the local government transactions tendered before the court. He also confirmed that entries contained in Exhibit 33(11), particularly transactions between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited, were consistent with normal banking operations.

When asked by Daudu about the purpose of several payments made on October 11, 2022, from different local governments into the account of Keyless Nature Limited, the witness said he did not know the purpose of the transactions.

“I do not know from the records whether there was any business or contractual relationship between the local governments and Keyless Nature Limited,” Egoro told the court.

He also agreed that customers were entitled to spend their money as they wished, except where fraud was established.

Responding to further questioning, the witness confirmed that Access Bank was not acting under any court order in respect of the transactions in Exhibit 33(11) and that there was no report of fraud linked to them.

On transactions involving Fayzade Business Enterprise, Egoro identified an inflow on May 6, 2022, from Okene Local Government Area, noting that the stated purpose was the supply of reading materials.

He listed other payments from Ogorimagongo, Okehi, Omala and Yagba local government areas as being for education materials valued at N4.4m, medical items worth N7.5m, sporting equipment amounting to N10.8m, and medical consumables totaling N12.2m.

According to the witness, additional payments were made for purposes ranging from agrochemicals and farm inputs to medical consumables.

When asked directly whether Bello was a local government chairman in any council in the state, the witness replied: “No, the defendant was not a local government chairman.”

Justice Emeka Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter to February 5 and 6, 2026, for continuation of trial.