An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission prosecution witness has told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, that transfers totalling ₦1.425 billion through two companies linked to Abba Adaudu, an associate of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, were payments for foreign exchange transactions.
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Jamilu Abdullahi, a foreign exchange dealer and the 19th prosecution witness, gave the evidence on Thursday during the continuation of Bello’s trial before Justice M. E. Anenih.
Bello is standing trial 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. The defendants have denied the allegations, which remain subject to determination by the court.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, who appeared alongside Olukayode Enitan, SAN, and Bolu Agbaje, SAN, Abdullahi said the ₦1.425 billion was transferred through Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited, companies he identified as belonging to Adaudu.
According to the witness, ₦100 million was transferred through Keyless Nature Limited on December 15, 2021, while further transfers totalling ₦400 million were made through the same company on December 17, 2021.
He also identified transfers totalling ₦600 million from Ejadams Essence Limited on February 18, 2022, as well as another ₦325 million transferred through the company on February 21, 2022.
Abdullahi told the court that the transactions between December 15, 2021 and February 21, 2022 amounted to ₦1.425 billion and represented payments made by Adaudu for foreign currency.
He explained that whenever the money was received, either through cash deposits or electronic transfers, he supplied Adaudu with the equivalent amount in United States dollars at the prevailing market rate.
According to him, the exchange was usually completed either at his office or Adaudu’s office.
The witness further testified that Adaudu would usually contact him before or after making cash deposits into his accounts to inform him that the payments were for foreign exchange transactions.
Abdullahi identified Exhibit AR as the statement of account of E-Traders Limited, one of his companies, maintained at the Mararaba branch of First City Monument Bank.
He told the court that cash deposits reflected in the account between July 2021 and April 2022, which were made through an Access Bank branch in Lokoja, were attributable to Adaudu.
Although some of the transaction narrations carried Abdullahi’s name, the witness maintained that he did not personally make the deposits, explaining that he had never visited the Lokoja branch of Access Bank.
He said the same explanation applied to deposits recorded on February 22 and other transactions on March 10 and 11, 2022.
Abdullahi also identified Exhibit AK, another statement of account, and testified that multiple cash deposits made on December 29 and 30, 2021, January 31, 2022 and February 1, 2022 were made by Adaudu or persons acting on his behalf in connection with foreign exchange transactions.
However, under cross-examination, Abdullahi acknowledged that he was not physically present at the bank when the cash deposits were made and therefore could not independently determine whether any of the defendants personally made them.
He also confirmed that the names of the first and second defendants did not appear in the E-Traders Limited account statement as depositors and that he was the sole signatory to the account.
The witness nevertheless maintained that Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited belonged to Adaudu and that transactions carried out through the two companies were connected with foreign exchange dealings.
Although he could not recall the total amount of foreign currency he supplied to Adaudu, Abdullahi said he usually provided the equivalent value of the naira received, either in foreign-currency cash or, on some occasions, by transfer.
The witness also testified about payments of school fees to the American International School, telling the court that Adaudu provided the account details and names of the beneficiaries.
He identified the beneficiaries as Fatima Bello, Zarrah Bello, Zayan Bello, Farid Bello and Na’ima Bello.
According to Abdullahi, he facilitated the payments through colleagues and subsequently forwarded the transaction documents to Adaudu for confirmation.
He identified Exhibit AX10(1–4) as telex documents issued by the American International School in connection with the payments.
During cross-examination, Abdullahi said he did not know the parents of the children whose school fees he facilitated and confirmed that he did not personally execute the payments but relied on colleagues to complete the transactions.
He also disclosed that he operated another company known as De Remita.
Abdullahi further told the court that statements he made to the EFCC in 2022 contained details and graphic representations of the transactions with Adaudu that he could recall at the time. He said he had not made any further statement to the anti-graft agency.
Earlier in the proceedings, counsel for an applicant informed the court that an application had been filed seeking the withdrawal of the surety standing for the third defendant.
The lawyer said the parties had been served but that the application was not yet ready for hearing.
Counsel for the third defendant confirmed receiving the application and requested time to respond, while Pinheiro suggested that the application be taken on the next adjourned date so as not to disrupt the ongoing trial.
The court thereafter continued with the prosecution’s evidence.
Following an indication by defence counsel that the witness was tired, Justice Anenih adjourned the matter until October 27 and November 24, 2026, for continuation of trial.
Bello and his co-defendants remain on trial over the alleged ₦110.4 billion criminal breach of trust and money laundering charges. No finding of guilt has been made against them.
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