An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecution witness on Thursday told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 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.
The witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a forex dealer who testified as the 19th prosecution witness (PW19), gave the evidence during the continuation of Bello’s trial before Justice M. E. Anenih.
Abdullahi was led in evidence by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, who appeared for the prosecution alongside Olukayode Enitan, SAN, and Bolu Agbaje, SAN.
Bello is being prosecuted 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.
Testifying during further examination-in-chief, Abdullahi said the transfers were made through Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited, which he identified as companies belonging to Adaudu.
He told the court that the transactions included ₦100 million transferred through Keyless Nature Limited on December 15, 2021, and further transfers totalling ₦400 million through the same company on December 17, 2021.
He also identified transfers totalling ₦600 million from Ejadams Essence Limited on February 18, 2022, and another ₦325 million through the company on February 21, 2022.
According to the witness, the transactions between December 15, 2021, and February 21, 2022, amounted to ₦1.425 billion and represented payments by Adaudu for foreign currency.
He explained that upon receiving the funds, whether through cash deposits or electronic transfers, he supplied Adaudu with the corresponding amount in US dollars at the prevailing market rate.
The exchange was usually completed at either his office or Adaudu’s office, he added.
Abdullahi further testified that Adaudu usually contacted him before or after making cash deposits into his accounts to notify him of the payments for the forex transactions.
The witness 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 (FCMB).
He said cash deposits made into the account at the Lokoja branch of Access Bank between July 2021 and April 2022 were attributable to Adaudu.
According to him, although some transaction narrations bore his name, he did not personally make the deposits because he had never visited the Lokoja branch of Access Bank.
He maintained that the same explanation applied to deposits dated February 22, as well as transactions recorded 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.
He said the deposits were connected with forex transactions.
However, during cross-examination, the witness acknowledged that he could not determine whether any of the defendants had made the cash deposits because he was not present at the bank when the transactions occurred.
He added that the names of the first and second defendants did not appear in the E-Traders Limited account statement as depositors. He also confirmed that he was the sole signatory to the account.
The witness reiterated that Keyless Nature Limited and Ejadams Essence Limited belonged to Adaudu and that the transactions conducted through the companies related to forex 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 transactions in cash and, on some occasions, by transfer.
He explained that cash payments were made in foreign currency.
The witness also testified about school-fee payments to the American International School, Abuja, stating that Adaudu supplied 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.
Abdullahi said he facilitated the payments through colleagues and that neither Adaudu nor the children’s parents complained about the transactions.
He identified Exhibit AX10 (1–4) as telexes issued by the American International School in respect of the payments. He said he forwarded the documents to Adaudu for confirmation after the transactions had been completed.
Under cross-examination, the witness said he did not know the parents of the children whose school fees he had facilitated.
He also confirmed that he did not make the payments directly but engaged colleagues to execute the transactions.
He disclosed that he operated another company known as De Remita.
Abdullahi further told the court that his statements to the EFCC in 2022 contained details and graphic representations of the transactions with Adaudu that he could recall at the time. He confirmed that he had not made any further statement to the commission.
Earlier, counsel for an applicant informed the court that an application had been filed seeking the withdrawal of the surety of the third defendant.
He said all parties had been served, although the application was not yet ready for hearing.
Counsel for the third defendant confirmed receipt of the application and requested time to prepare a response. Pinheiro suggested that the application be taken on the next adjourned date to avoid disrupting the ongoing trial.
The court subsequently proceeded with the trial.
Following an indication by defence counsel that the witness was tired, Justice Anenih adjourned the case until October 27 and November 24, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
Bello and his co-defendants are facing a 16-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving ₦110.4 billion. The allegations remain subject to determination by the court.
