Blessing Bello, Reporting
A bureau de change operator, Jamilu Abdullahi, has told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that transactions totalling ₦1.425 billion were conducted for foreign exchange purchases between December 15, 2021, and February 21, 2022, on behalf of Abba Adaudu.
Abdullahi, who testified as the 19th prosecution witness (PW19) in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said he delivered the foreign currencies purchased through the transactions to Adaudu.
The witness gave the testimony on Thursday, October 15, 2026, while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, before Justice Maryanne Anineh.
Bello is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), 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.
While examining Exhibit AR, which contained transactions recorded between July 2021 and April 2022, Abdullahi identified several cash lodgements and transfers into accounts associated with him and his company.
He explained that the transactions were undertaken for foreign exchange purposes on behalf of Adaudu, insisting that the payments were not gifts.
The witness confirmed cash lodgements of ₦10 million each made by Adaudu through the Lokoja branch.
“My lord, I confirm the cash lodgements of Ten, Ten million Naira by Abba Adaudu from the Lokoja branch. My lord, I confirm I received the cash lodgements. It wasn’t for gift but for a forex transaction,” he told the court.
He explained that the funds were used to purchase United States dollars.
Abdullahi also identified a transfer dated January 18, 2022, from Keyless Limited, which he said belonged to Adaudu. According to him, the transfer was similarly intended for foreign exchange transactions.
However, when asked about cash lodgements of ₦9 million, ₦8 million and another ₦8 million recorded on February 22, 2022, in his name through the Lokoja branch, the witness denied personally making the deposits.
He said he had never visited the branch, explaining that his name could be used as the beneficiary of transactions conducted by other people.
“In fact, I have never been to that branch in my life, but my name has been used as a beneficiary as any other person’s name can be used as the receiver, and it was a dollar transaction for Abba Adaudu,” he said.
The witness gave a similar explanation for multiple cash lodgements recorded against his name on March 10 and 11, 2022, maintaining that he had never visited the Lokoja branch.
According to him, the names appearing in the transaction narrations depended on the instructions given by Adaudu.
“My lord, I get to know the cash was paid on Abba Adaudu’s behalf because whenever he makes a lodgement of cash in my account, the indicating narration is Abba Adaudu or Jamilu Abdullahi or any other name of their choice,” Abdullahi said.
He maintained that the transactions were for foreign exchange purchases and that he consistently delivered the converted currencies to Adaudu.
“My lord, I always send the converted forex to Abba Adaudu. All the transactions at the Lokoja were from Abba Adaudu,” he added.
The witness also identified Exhibit AK as his personal account with Access Bank at the Aminu Kano branch in Abuja.
He confirmed entries showing cash lodgements of ₦10 million each on December 29 and 30, 2021, and January 1 and 31, 2022.
However, he maintained that the deposits were made by Adaudu for foreign exchange transactions rather than by him personally.
Abdullahi further testified that he sometimes delivered the purchased dollars to Adaudu at his own office and, on other occasions, at Adaudu’s office in Area 8, Garki, Abuja.
On transactions involving Kunfayakun Global Limited, which he identified as his company, the witness confirmed a credit entry of ₦100 million from Keyless Nature Limited through FCMB, Zone 4, in 2021.
He attributed the transfer to Adaudu.
The witness also identified a ₦400 million transfer through Keyless Nature Limited, which he similarly linked to Adaudu.
In addition, he identified multiple transfers of ₦100 million each, amounting to ₦600 million, from Ejadams Essence Limited on February 18, 2022. He told the court that the company belonged to Adaudu.
Abdullahi further identified a transfer of ₦325 million through Ejadams Essence Limited on February 21, 2022, which he also attributed to Adaudu.
He insisted that the transactions were for foreign exchange purchases and that he delivered the corresponding currencies to Adaudu.
The prosecution witness also explained how he became familiar with accounts associated with Forza Oil, Alyeshua and Whales Oil and Gas.
According to him, the accounts were used to make payments to the American International School, Abuja (AISA), for school fees on behalf of children whose payment instructions and account details were supplied to him by Adaudu.
Abdullahi identified Fatima Bello, Zahra Bello and Na’ima Bello as names familiar to him in connection with the school fee transactions.
He also acknowledged another name mentioned to him but said he could not recall it precisely.
The witness told the court that he made the payments by transferring funds to the school’s account using the details provided by Adaudu.
He identified Exhibits AX 10 (1–4), described as telexes, as receipts evidencing payments made to the school.
According to him, he forwarded the receipts to Adaudu as proof that the transactions had been completed.
When asked whether Adaudu or the children had complained about the payments, Abdullahi answered in the negative.
During cross-examination by counsel to the first and second defendants, Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN, the witness said he had no direct dealings with any of the defendants.
Asked about the total amount of money he gave Adaudu, the witness said he could not remember the exact figure because the transactions were numerous.
“I gave Abba Adaudu the cash and I have evidence,” he told the court.
Following the testimony, Justice Anineh adjourned the case until October 27 and November 24, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
The EFCC is prosecuting Bello, Oricha and Hudu on 16 counts involving alleged criminal breach of trust and money laundering totalling ₦110.4 billion.
The allegations remain subject to the ongoing judicial proceedings.
