Crime
How N46.5m Was Transferred To American International School: Witness In Alleged ₦80.2bn Kogi Fraud
How N46.5m Was Transferred To American International School: Witness In Alleged ₦80.2bn Kogi Fraud
How N46.5m was transferred to American International School: Witness in alleged ₦80.2bn Kogi fraud. The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, continued on Thursday, February 5, 2026, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with the Eight Prosecution Witness, PW8, Gabriel Ochoche, testifying how the sum of N46,505,000( Forty Six Million, Five Hundred and Five Thousand Naira) was transferred into the account of American International School
Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering to the tune of ₦80,246,470,088.88.
The prosecution called Prosecution Witness 8 (PW8), Gabriel Ochoche, a compliance officer with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), who testified pursuant to a subpoena.
Led in evidence by Olukayode Enitan, SAN, the subpoena was tendered without objection from the defence and was admitted by the court as Exhibit 36.
PW8 told the court that among several payments there were payments to educational institutions, including a ₦30 million transfer on November 1, 2021, to American International School / Abdul Bashir, as well as another transfer of ₦16,505,400 to American International School.
PW8 also confirmed that he was in court with the statement of account, certificate of compliance and account opening documents of Kunfayakun Global Limited, Account No: 7819613011, covering transactions from June 1, 2021, to August 31, 2022. The documents were admitted in evidence as Exhibit 37 without objection.
When asked to confirm the period covered, the witness stated: “The period covered is from June 29, 2021, to December 31, 2024.”
Explaining the structure of the statement of account, PW8 said it contains seven columns, namely: date, reference, description, value date, deposit, withdrawal and balance.
Reading from Exhibit 37, PW8 identified several major transactions, including an NIP transfer of ₦700 million from Keyless Nature Limited on December 15, 2021, and an RTGS inflow of ₦400 million on December 17, 2021, from Access Bank, by order of the same company. He explained that RTGS is a transfer carried out by one bank on behalf of a customer.
On November 2, 2021, PW8 confirmed multiple inflows from Gadonkaya Global Concept into Kunfayakun’s account—₦10 million, ₦10 million and ₦8.96 million—alongside another outflow of ₦34,506,600 to American School and China Payment / Abdul Bashir.
PW8 also told the court that on February 18, 2022, there were six separate NIP transfers of ₦100 million each from Ejadams Essence Limited, totaling ₦600 million.
Asked to confirm the total inflow, the witness said: “Yes, my lord, I confirm that ₦600 million was received from Ejadams Essence Limited.”
He further identified an RTGS inflow of ₦325 million on February 21, 2022, with a value date of February 18, 2022, from Access Bank, by order of Ejadams.
Earlier in the proceedings, Prosecution Witness 7 (PW7), Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, continued his testimony under cross-examination.
Defence counsel drew his attention to Exhibit 33(8), particularly an entry of June 22, 2022, which the witness confirmed was an outflow of ₦20 million for the supply of educational materials. When asked if it was a cash withdrawal, Egoro replied:
“No, my lord.”
He also confirmed that he could not identify the beneficiary from the document.
Egoro acknowledged multiple cash withdrawals made by Yakubu Siyaka between January 9, 2019, and December 30, 2022, totaling over ₦552 million.
Explaining the bank’s obligations, he said: “The customer can use his money as he likes; however, the bank has a reporting obligation where transactions do not fit the customer’s profile or fall under money laundering typologies.”
Fraud
He further confirmed that Access Bank filed a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), but stated that by law, its contents could not be disclosed in court.
When defence counsel J.B Daudu SAN attempted to question the witness on the contents of the STR, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, objected, arguing that questioning a document not before the court contravened the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Justice Nwite upheld the objection, ruling that: “Counsel cannot ask questions on the contents of a document not before the court.”
Following the rectification of payment receipts, the Certified True Copy (CTC) of proceedings from Justice Obiora Egwuatu’s court dated May 12, 2025, was admitted in evidence as Exhibit 35(D2) without objection.
Additional documents admitted included: Exhibit 34(1): Kogi State Government House account opening package, exhibit 34(2): Kogi State Government House Administration account and exhibit 33(6): E-Traders International Limited account opening package and statement of account.
PW7 confirmed signatories, transaction patterns and Access Bank’s compliance oversight across its branches.
With no re-examination by the prosecution, Justice Nwite discharged PW7 from the witness box and adjourned the matter to March 3 and March 9, 2026, for continuation of trial.
EFCC Arrests Serial Fraudster Over Alleged N20m Visa Fraud In Enugu
EFCC arrests serial fraudster over alleged N20m visa fraud in Enugu. He said the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
Its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Mr Oyewale said the suspect was facing interrogation for allegedly obtaining N19.9 million from three victims under the pretence of assisting them to process visas.
He listed the three petitioners as Osmond Ugwu, Ugwu Chidubem, and Amadiani Chinedu, who alleged that they were defrauded by the suspect.
According to him, Mr Ugwu claimed that he met the suspect in 2018 when he was planning to travel abroad.
“The suspect reportedly presented himself as a visa agent, and lured him with an offer of a Red-cross sponsored visa to the United States of America at the cost of N1.8 million, excluding his flight ticket.
“Ugwu allegedly paid N4 million for the arrangement as well as other payments, which brought the total sum the suspect collected from him to N11.8 million.”
Mr Oyewale also said that the second petitioner, Mr Chidubem, claimed that the suspect conspired with his friend to defraud him of the sum of N5.9 million.
“The suspect assured Chidubem that he will procure genuine documents for him to further pursue his football career abroad.
“The third victim, Chinedu, in his own petition alleged that the suspect defrauded him to the tune of N2.2 million to procure a work permit and an accompanying visa to enable him to migrate to Australia.
EFCC
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the 44-year-old suspect, who is an electrical engineer, was parading himself as a visa processing agent who helps people to migrate abroad easily.
“It was also discovered that he is not a licensed travel agent,” Mr Oyewale said.
He added that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
Court Sentences Former Accountant-General Nwabuoku To 72 Years In Prison Over N868m Fraud
Former accountant-general Nwabuoku to 72 years in prison. Delivering judgment on Monday, James Omotosho, presiding judge, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had proved its case against Nwabuoku.
Nwabuoku was arraigned on a nine-count amended charge bordering on money laundering and fraud to the tune of N868.4 million.
He was granted bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024, the anti-graft agency accused Nwabuoku of conspiring with several companies, including Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited, to convert funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The alleged offence, according to the EFCC, contravenes section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012), and is punishable under section 15(3) of the Act.
The commission said Nwabuoku committed the offences while serving as the director of finance and accounts in the ministry of defence between 2019 and 2021.
The former acting accountant general had filed a no-case submission which was dismissed by the court in November 2025.
Court
Nwabuoku was appointed acting accountant-general of the federation on May 20, 2022, by then President Muhammadu Buhari, following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over alleged N80 billion fraud.
But Nwabuoku was removed from the position in July 2022, barely weeks after assuming office, following reports that he was under EFCC investigation.
Contractor Julius Ejiogu Bags Two Years Imprisonment For Forgery
Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State has convicted and sentenced Julius Ejiogu, a contractor to two years imprisonment for forgery.
The convict was arraigned on a three -count charge of conspiracy, forgery and uttering of false document on March 23, 2021 by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Upon arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the charge setting the stage for trial.
The charge reads: “That you Julius Eljiogu and one Engr. E. Expert (at large) on or about the 2nd of August 2013, at Delta State within the jurisdiction of this honourable did conspires amongst yourselves to committed felony to wit: make a document titled Award of Contract for the Construction of Obudu-operation Road in Udu L.G.A. Delta State dated 2nd August 2013 on a letterhead paper on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, purported to have been issued or emanated from NDDC for the award of Contract which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act Cap M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act 2007 and punishable under Section 3 (1)(C) of the same Act.”
In the course of the trial, prosecution counsel, K.Y. Bello called four witnesses and tendered several documents which were admitted by the court while the defendant testified as sole witness for his case.
Jail
Justice Olubanjo in his judgment (on Thursday January 15, 2026) found the defendant guilty on count one of the charge but discharged and acquitted him on count two and three . The judge consequently sentenced the defendant to two years imprisonment with an option of N1 million fine.
The convict’s road to jail began when he purportedly got a letter for the award of Contract for the Construction of Obudu-Oleri Road in Udu Local Government Area, Delta State from one Engr. Eshitt of the Niger Delta Development Commission. He went ahead to sell the contract to the petitioner for N2 million only for him to discover that the said contract award was fake.
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