Court hears how diverted N10bn Kogi funds were used to buy prime Abuja properties
A prosecution witness, PW17, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) and Deputy Superintendent of the EFCC, DCE Ahmed Audu Abubakar, on Monday, February 9, 2026, narrated before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, how hundreds of millions of naira allegedly diverted from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account were used to acquire high-end properties in choice areas of the Federal Capital Territory.
The EFCC is prosecuting Ali Bello, the Chief of Staff to the Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, and a nephew of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, on a 16-count amended charge, alongside Dauda Sulaiman and one Abdulsalami Hudu, the former cashier of the Kogi State Government House Administration Account (now at large).
The defendants are standing trial over allegations of misappropriation and money laundering to the tune of ₦10,270,556,800, funds allegedly withdrawn from the Kogi State treasury and delivered to a Bureau de Change operator, Rabiu Tafada, in Abuja, to keep or convert to foreign currencies for personal use.
At the resumed hearing on Monday, Abubakar told the court that the first defendant, Ali Bello, used ₦900 million to acquire a property located at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, Spring Hall School.
“My Lord, the property belongs to a Honourable from Bauchi State and was put up for sale for that amount. The first defendant procured the services of a lawyer, Barrister Ramalan, to broker the transaction. Barrister Ramalan carried out the instruction as directed by the first defendant, and the property was eventually purchased.
The payment was made in cash at the office of the Bureau de Change in Zone 4, Abuja, after the naira equivalent was converted to dollars. That was the finding of our investigation regarding the transaction,” he said.
The witness further stated that the funds used for the purchase were withdrawn at different times from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account.
When shown Exhibit H by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness confirmed that it was a Deed of Assignment between Pauchi Ventures Nigeria Limited and Y3 Nigeria Limited.
Asked to identify Y3 Nigeria Limited, the witness explained:
“My Lord, Y3 is the company provided by the first defendant to his lawyer for the preparation of the Deed of Assignment.”
Moving to count four of the charge, Oyedepo, SAN, stated that the defendant allegedly used ₦920 million to acquire a property located at No. 2 Justice Chukwudi (or Oguta) Street, Asokoro, Abuja, funds he reasonably ought to have known were proceeds of unlawful activity.
Responding, the witness confirmed that the EFCC identified the property during investigations.
“My lord, the transaction was brokered by the former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency Yahaya Bello, himself. He approached a contractor friend who had recently acquired the property through Wastle Motors, owned by Alhaji Sa’id Dantsoho.
“They agreed on a price, and the owner accessed a facility from Access Bank. It was agreed that the property would be sold at the same amount it was acquired. Payment was to be made ‘in kind’ because His Excellency had just assumed office and promised to patronize the contractor during his administration.”
An account was provided into which loan repayments would be made. During the period, there were numerous cash deposits from Lokoja and transfers from the Bureau de Change operated by Rabiu Tafada, including through his company, Busynet. All BDC transfers were carried out on the instruction of the first defendant, Ali Bello. That is how the property was paid for, My Lord”, he said.
The witness stated that the total facility collected as of March 21, 2018, stood at ₦808,698,263.29.
Abubakar further told the court that on April 8, 2020, multiple cash deposits were made at the Lokoja Branch of Access Bank towards servicing the loan. He listed the deposits as follows:
Victor Ashimo – ₦3,650,000
Surajo Samson – ₦7,700,000
Sikiru Lariyat – ₦6,650,000
Yusuf Mustapha – ₦6,800,000
Nasiru Mustapha – ₦6,500,000
Adamu Mamman – ₦6,700,000
Shehu Afeez – ₦9,500,000
Musa Umar – ₦9,600,000
Mohammed Baba – ₦8,900,000
Victor Obafemi – ₦8,400,000
Olushola Hakeem – ₦9,200,000
Yahaya Ahmed – ₦7,600,000
Tony Olaoluwa – ₦6,800,000
Habib Sulaiman – ₦8,200,000
Yakubu Hamid – ₦7,500,000
Sunday Sylvester – ₦6,900,000
Aminu Sani – ₦8,700,000
Job Awe – ₦9,500,000
Emmanuel Christopher – ₦6,600,000
Abdulsalami Aliyu – ₦8,300,000
Yunusa I. Isiyak – ₦7,000,000
Sulaiman Alhassan – ₦7,300,000
Yakubu Idris – ₦8,900,000
Jami’u Sule – ₦8,100,000
Ismaila Nasiru – ₦7,900,000
Yusuf Usman – ₦8,500,000
Obafemi Ajayi – ₦8,800,000
Abdullahi Sani – ₦7,800,000
When asked if all the payments were made in cash, the witness replied:
“Yes, My lord.”
He further stated that the source of the funds used to service the loan was the Kogi State Government House Administration Account.
On count five, the witness testified that ₦170 million was used to acquire a property located on Marsin Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, directly behind the residence of former Governor Yahaya Bello at No. 9 Benghazi Street.
“Our investigation revealed that the funds were withdrawn from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account. The transaction was brokered by the first defendant in conjunction with his late BDC associate, Murtala Maigari”, he said.
The property owner, a retired Deputy Comptroller of Prisons, Ishaya Adamu Jagaba, supplied an account into which ₦100 million was paid, while ₦70 million was converted to United States Dollars.”
On count six, Abubakar stated that the defendants aided the use of ₦100 million to acquire a property at No. 1773 Guzape Street, Abuja, with funds traced to the Kogi State Government House Administration Account through a Bureau de Change.
On count seven, he confirmed the acquisition of a property at No. 176, Plot 4882, Lome Street, Wuse, Abuja, also funded from the same government account.
On count eight, the witness told the court that ₦66 million was paid for a property at Plot 739 Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, using cash withdrawn from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account, stressing that the payment was not made on behalf of the Kogi State Government.
The witness had earlier testified on how hundreds of millions of naira were moved from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account and security votes to purchase properties and renovate the family house of former Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello.
Justice Omotosho thereafter adjourned the matter to February 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, 2026, for continuation of trial.
