Crime

Witness Narrates How Shehu Bello Bought Abuja Property For ₦650m: Yahaya Bello

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2 months ago

March 9, 2026

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Yahaya Bello Seeks Court’s Permission For UK Medical Trip

Witness Narrates How Shehu Bello Bought Abuja Property For ₦650m: Yahaya Bello

The trial of Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi State continued on Monday, March 9, 2026 with the 11th Prosecution Witness, PW11, James Bem Igbakymeh, narrating before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, how a man identified as Shehu Bello purchased a property, located in Wuse II, Abuja at the cost of ₦650 million.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Yahaya Bello on a 19-count charge, bordering on alleged money laundering to the tune of ₦80,246,470,088.88.

Igbakymeh, a lawyer, told the court that sometime in October 2021, his client instructed him to sell a property, located on Plot 1058, Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse II, Abuja.

According to him, he placed a banner on the property to attract prospective buyers, after which a man identified as Shehu Bello contacted him.
“He inquired about my office and came to meet me to negotiate for the purchase of the property,” he said.
He disclosed that after negotiations, both parties agreed on a price of ₦650 million.
The witness explained that the payment was made into three designated accounts provided by his client.
“My lord, the monies were paid into three designated accounts — SFC Foods Limited in Polaris Bank, JIT Agric Limited in Polaris Bank, and SFC Foods Limited in Heritage Bank,” he said.

He further told the court that the payments were made through different bureau de change operators before the property documents were eventually handed over to the buyer.

The witness also informed the court that EFCC investigators later invited him during the course of their investigation.
“Sometime after the completion of the transaction, I received a call from one Mohammed from the EFCC office in Lagos informing me that they were investigating a matter in which I had featured prominently and asking me to meet them at their Wuse II office in Abuja,” he said.

According to him, he honoured the invitation, wrote a statement, and submitted transaction documents to the Commission.

When shown the Offer Letter and Deed of Assignment relating to the transaction, the witness confirmed that he could identify them.
“The letter was written by me and the Deed of Assignment was the one we signed. I can see the signature of my client and mine,” he told the court.

The prosecution subsequently tendered the documents in evidence. Although the defence reserved its objections until the final written address, Justice Nwite admitted the Deed of Assignment and the Offer Letter as Exhibits 44 and 45, respectively.

When asked to look at the last page of Exhibit 45, the witness told the court that the name indicated as the assignee was Ali Bello.

However, when asked whether Ali Bello and Shehu Bello were the same person, he replied, “No.”

Explaining the discrepancy, he said both men had appeared together during the negotiation process.
“My lord, during the course of the transaction, Shehu Bello came to my office with Ali Bello on two occasions during the negotiations,” he said.

Under cross-examination, the witness admitted that he was not the one who prepared the Deed of Assignment.
“It was brought to me by the people who wanted to buy the property,” he said.
He also confirmed that the name appearing as the assignee in the document was Ali Bello.
After his testimony, the witness was discharged.

The prosecution then called its 12th witness, PW12, Jamilu Abdullahi, a bureau de change operator.

Abdullahi told the court that he owned three companies: Kunfayakun Global Limited, E-Traders International Limited, and De-Remita International Limited.

He confirmed making a statement to the EFCC in 2021, which the court admitted in evidence as Exhibit 36.

The witness also confirmed that he was the signatory to the accounts of the companies and that he operated a personal account with Access Bank.

While identifying earlier admitted bank statements, he said Exhibit 33(1) was his personal Access Bank account, Exhibit 33(6) belonged to E-Traders International Limited, while Exhibit 37(1) belonged to Kunfayakun Global Limited.

Abdullahi further told the court that he met one Abba Adaudu in 2021 at Zenith Bank in Apo, Abuja, where they exchanged contacts after discovering that he is into foreign exchange transactions.

According to him, Adaudu later began sending funds to him for foreign exchange transactions. He testified that several deposits were made into his account in tranches of ₦10 million each.

When his attention was drawn to transactions dated December 29 and 30, 2021, showing deposits totaling ₦60 million made at Access Bank in Lokoja, the witness said he did not personally make the deposits.
“My name was used as the narration, but I was not the one who paid the money. It was Abba Adaudu,” he said.
He further told the court that he had never visited the Access Bank branch in Lokoja.
“Not in my life, my lord,” he said.

According to him, whenever funds were deposited, he converted them to foreign currency and handed the cash dollars to Adaudu.
“I converted them to dollars and gave them to Abba Adaudu,” he said, adding that the transactions lasted for more than a year.
He further explained that the inflows were sometimes cash deposits and, at other times, transfers from companies linked to Adaudu, including Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited.

The witness also told the court that he sometimes instructed other companies to effect international transfers on his behalf, including payments of school fees to the American International School.

While being led through multiple transactions in the E-Traders International Limited account statement, he confirmed that several deposits running into hundreds of millions of naira were made on the instructions of Abba Adaudu on various dates between 2021 and 2022.

However, during the proceedings, the witness informed the court that he was exhausted due to fasting and could not continue with his testimony. He consequently stood down to continue his testimony on the next adjourned date.

Earlier in the proceedings, Justice Nwite delivered a ruling on the admissibility of two documents relating to the alleged sale of Plot 1160, Cadastral Zone, Gwarimpa II, Abuja, reportedly sold for ₦100 million.
The judge held that the documents were admissible in evidence.
“In view of the above, I am of the opinion that the authorities cited are in tandem with the scenario at hand, where the prosecution has clearly put it before the court that the intent and purpose of tendering the documents is only to indicate the existence of a transaction and nothing more.
“Therefore, this Honourable Court holds that the documents sought to be tendered are admissible,” Justice Nwite ruled.

Consequently, the court admitted the documents in evidence, marking the Irrevocable Power of Attorney as Exhibit 42 and the Deed of Assignment as Exhibit 43.
Following the ruling, prosecution counsel, Chukwudi Enebeli, SAN, continued the examination-in-chief of the 10th prosecution witness, PW10, Mahmoud Abdulaziz, an accountant with Dantata and Sawoe Construction Limited.

Yahaya Bello

While identifying the documents earlier tendered, Abdulaziz told the court that Exhibit 31 was a Keystone Bank account statement belonging to Dantata and Sawoe Construction Limited.

He further explained that Exhibit 42 was the Irrevocable Power of Attorney between Dantata and Sawoe Construction Limited and Azba Real Estate Limited, while Exhibit 43 was the Deed of Assignment executed between the two companies.

Explaining how the name of Azba Real Estate Limited appeared on the Deed of Assignment, the witness said the construction company authorised the arrangement.
“My lord, Dantata and Sawoe gave consent and assigned Azba to execute the deed. They, Azba, then gave us the two documents. Our director signed on behalf of Dantata, and Ali Bello signed on behalf of Azba,” he said.

During cross-examination by defence counsel J.B. Daudu, SAN, the witness admitted that he was not present when the documents were signed.
Asked whether he could identify the signatories, he said he could recognise the signatures of his company’s directors.
“My lord, I can identify the signatures of our two directors. The names are Mubarak Dantata and Nasiru A. Dantata,” he said.

However, he told the court that he could not identify who signed on behalf of Azba Real Estate Limited.

With no further questions from both parties, the witness was discharged.

Following the witness’s testimony, lead prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, moved a motion dated February 2, 2026, seeking to set aside an earlier order of the court, permitting the defendant to travel abroad.
Pinheiro told the court that the application was filed based on fresh developments and security concerns.
“My lord, we are just being careful and concerned that the defendant should remain in Nigeria to face his trial to prevent the possibility of extradition and incarceration in another country,” he said.

However, defence counsel Daudu opposed the application, arguing that the defendant had already been granted bail, which allowed him freedom of movement, and that he remained presumed to be innocent.

He also argued that the presence of an Interpol Red Notice on the system could complicate the travel arrangement.
“Allowing him to travel without removing the Red Notice is like giving him something with the left hand and collecting it back with the right hand,” he said.

After listening to both parties, Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until April 22, 23 and 24, 2026, and May 6 and 7, 2026, for continuation of trial.

Related Topics:EFCC security Yahaya Bello

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Crime

Alleged $6.23m Fraud: Police Commissioner Confirms Emefiele Approved Payment To Foreign Election Observers

Published

12 hours ago

April 28, 2026

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Alleged $6.23m Fraud: Police Commissioner Confirms Emefiele Approved Payment To Foreign Election Observers

A Commissioner of Police, Eloho E. Ekpoziakpho, on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, told a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Maitama, Abuja, that investigations into the alleged fraudulent withdrawal of $6.23 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, revealed that the payment was made with the approval of former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Ekpoziakpho, who testified as Prosecution Witness 14, PW14, before Justice Hamza Mu’azu, stated this while giving evidence in the ongoing trial of Emefiele on an amended 20-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office and conspiracy to obtain by false pretence.

Eereporter.com
The witness, a Commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Fraud Unit, Lagos, said he previously served at the Force Intelligence Department where his duties included intelligence gathering on economic sabotage, terrorism financing and related offences.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, the witness told the court that he participated in the interrogation of the defendant alongside Jim Obazee, the special investigator who led the defendant’s investigation.

“In the course of the investigation, we got intelligence on the 6.23 million dollars that was fraudulently taken from the CBN branch in Abuja that had the governor’s approval when the defendant was the governor. We did an investigation and that was what led to his interrogation. The defendant was investigated,” he said.

Ekpoziakpho further stated that investigations revealed that the money was fraudulently taken, adding that some suspects interrogated during the investigation confessed, while the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, denied requesting payment for foreign election observers.

The witness also identified a document said to have emanated from the SGF and purportedly conveying the approval of former President Muhammadu Buhari for the payment.

Explaining Exhibit PD6, the witness said it was a letter forwarding the President’s approval from the SGF for the CBN to pay $6.23 million to foreign election observers dated January 26, 2023.

He further stated that the document was addressed to Emefiele in his capacity as Governor of the CBN.

“Our findings relating to that document showed that it was honoured. It was treated and the money was paid. We recovered the document from the CBN where the money was cashed,” he said.

The witness also identified Exhibit PD1 as the details of the payment made in dollars, stating that the amount paid was $6.23 million on February 8, 2023.

He further described Exhibit PD2 as a memo from the Director of Banking Services, CBN Abuja, conveying approval and instructing that the $6.23 million be paid.

At that point, defence counsel, Matthew Burkaa, SAN, objected in line with Section 128 of the Evidence Act, arguing that the witness could not give evidence on documents supplied by the prosecution.

Responding, Oyedepo, SAN, argued that the documents being referred to had already been admitted in evidence before the court.

“With profound respect, I have a burden and I urge my learned friend to allow me and my team discharge our duties properly.

Emefiele

We cannot allow the witness to give evidence without backing it up with documents. Section 128 they have referred to did not prevent a witness from giving oral evidence explaining the document in line with the case before the court. That section did not prevent explanation from the document by the investigator,” he said.

In his ruling, Justice Mu’azu held that since the documents were already before the court, the witness could be asked questions on them but could not delve into the contents of the documents.

Earlier in the trial, the witness identified the defendant and also confirmed that he knew Jim Obazee, whom he described as a special investigator appointed by the President to investigate the CBN.

According to him, Obazee requested police officers from the Nigeria Police Force to assist in carrying out the assignment.

“As the officer who led other officers in the special investigation, I assisted in taking statements, interrogating persons who were complicit in one way or another. I also provided intelligence to aid our work,” he said.

The judge thereafter adjourned the matter till July 2 and 3, 2026 for continuation of trial.

Crime

Alleged N27b Fraud: EFCC Presents More Witnesses Against Darius Ishaku, Yero

Published

13 hours ago

April 28, 2026

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Alleged N27b Fraud: EFCC Presents More Witnesses Against Darius Ishaku, Yero

The trial of the former Taraba State governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku alongside the former permanent secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero, before Justice S. C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja, continued on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, presenting the Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, Taiwo Johns against them.

The EFCC is prosecuting both defendants on a 15-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy and conversion of public funds to the tune of N27,000,000,000.00 (Twenty-seven Billion Naira).

The testimony of the PW3, followed the conclusion of the cross-examination of the Second Prosecution Witness, PW2 Prince Emmanuel Onwuzulike, by the counsel to the second defendant, Samuel Fagade during the proceeding.

In his cross-examination, the PW2 told the court that he had a father and son relationship with Yero, the second defendant, disclosing that it was the second defendant that phoned him and asked him to disburse funds to one Lawal Damilare.

The PW2 also informed the court that he did not report to any law enforcement agency as he received some money from Johns, the PW3 who is a cashier assistant in Taraba State’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, disclosing also that he collected some of the money for his personal use.

“The sum of N3 million deposited is for my business; the sum of N2 million, deposited is for my business; the sum of N10 million, dated November 4, is for my business,” he said.

Further in the cross-examination, he said, “Everything I did was on instruction.”

Following the conclusion of the cross-examination, the PW3 was led in his testimony by prosecution counsel, O. A. Atolagbe. He disclosed that his duty was to assist in the raising of day-to-day vouchers; raising of payment schedules; preparing staff payroll; assisting the cashier in writing payroll cheques and accompanying the cashier to the bank for cashing of money.

Eereporter.com
Others he disclosed include, “Payment of emirs and ‘ardos’ and disbursement of cash, if there is a courtesy call and any other duty assigned to me by my immediate bosses, Mr. John Columba, chief cashier Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Babangida Hassan, Director, Finance, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bello Yero.”

The PW3 further informed the court that the duty of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs was to take care of all the 16 local governments of the state, pay salary and allowances to emirs and chiefs, take good care of the emirs and chiefs, purchase cars for them and handle their medical requirements.

Others are, “Payment of teachers’ salaries, assisting flood disaster victims if it arises, beefing up security in the communities and local governments’ chiefdoms and if there is any other thing pertaining to local government activities,” he said.

EFCC

Asked by the prosecution counsel if he participated in the disbursing of money, he replied in the affirmative. “Yes, sometimes I give it to the ALGON Chairman, or a local government chairman, depending on where the case arises.

The name of the ALGON chairman is Agya and further disclosed that the account name from which the money is disbursed is “2.5 Percent Contingency Account, domiciled in the United Bank of Africa, UBA. The signatories to the account, he said, are the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Bello Yero and Director of Finance, Babangida Hassan.

Justice Oriji adjourned the matter till April 30 for the continuation of the examination of PW3.

Crime

Nigerian Navy Arrests Suspected Pipeline Vandals In Bayelsa

Published

13 hours ago

April 28, 2026

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Nigerian Navy Arrests Suspected Pipeline Vandals In Bayelsa

The Nigerian Navy, through personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) FORMOSO, has recorded a significant operational success in the ongoing fight against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.

On 25 April 2026 at about 0300 hours, FOB FORMOSO personnel, acting on credible intelligence, conducted a well-coordinated raid at Egbama-Angalabiri in Ekeramo Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The operation led to the arrest of one Mr. Godwin, also known as “Idiot,” identified as the leader of a notorious pipeline vandalism syndicate operating within the Clough Creek axis.

Eereporter.com
The successful operation followed sustained intelligence and surveillance which confirmed the suspect’s involvement in recent attacks on critical oil and gas infrastructure, as well as details of his residence and movement patterns. The suspect was apprehended at a nearby night market where he was reportedly extorting illegal levies from traders.

During a follow-on operation to search his residence, naval personnel encountered resistance from armed members of the syndicate. The situation was swiftly brought under control through a coordinated tactical response, forcing the assailants to withdraw.

A search of the suspect’s residence led to the recovery of two handheld radios and other technical tools used in illegal activities. Further exploitation of intelligence obtained from the suspect resulted in the arrest of another individual, Mr. Happiness, believed to be an associate, as well as the recovery of one pump-action gun.