EFCC Tells Court How Kogi Govt Funds Were Used to Acquire Abuja Properties
A prosecution witness in the ongoing ₦10.2 billion Kogi State fraud trial on Monday narrated before the Federal High Court in Abuja how funds allegedly diverted from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account were used to acquire several high-value properties in choice areas of the Federal Capital Territory.
The witness, PW17, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Deputy Superintendent of the EFCC, DCE Ahmed Audu Abubakar, testified before Justice James Omotosho at the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.
The EFCC is prosecuting Ali Bello, Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and nephew of former Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, alongside Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalami Hudu, a former cashier of the Kogi State Government House Administration Account, who is currently at large.
The defendants are standing trial on a 16-count amended charge bordering on misappropriation and money laundering involving ₦10,270,556,800, allegedly withdrawn from the Kogi State treasury and delivered to a Bureau de Change operator, Rabiu Tafada, for conversion to foreign currencies and personal use.
At the resumed hearing, Abubakar told the court that the first defendant, Ali Bello, allegedly used ₦900 million to acquire a property located at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, known as Spring Hall School.
According to the witness, the property, owned by a former lawmaker from Bauchi State, was purchased through a lawyer, Barrister Ramalan, acting on the instructions of the first defendant. He said payment was made in cash at a Bureau de Change office in Zone 4, Abuja, after conversion of naira to dollars, with the funds traced to multiple withdrawals from the Kogi State Government House Administration Account.
When shown Exhibit H by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness confirmed it as a Deed of Assignment between Pauchi Ventures Nigeria Limited and Y3 Nigeria Limited, explaining that Y3 Nigeria Limited was provided by the first defendant for the transaction.
Testifying on count four, Abubakar stated that ₦920 million was allegedly used to acquire a property at No. 2 Justice Chukwudi (Oguta) Street, Asokoro, Abuja. He told the court that the transaction was brokered by former Governor Yahaya Bello, who negotiated the purchase through a contractor who had obtained the property via Wastle Motors, owned by Alhaji Sa’id Dantsoho.
He explained that the property was funded through a loan facility from Access Bank, which was serviced through multiple cash deposits from Lokoja and transfers from the Bureau de Change operated by Rabiu Tafada and his company, Busynet, all allegedly on the instruction of Ali Bello.
The witness disclosed that as of March 21, 2018, the total facility stood at ₦808,698,263.29, adding that numerous cash deposits were made on April 8, 2020, at the Lokoja branch of Access Bank by different individuals to service the loan.
When asked whether the payments were made in cash, Abubakar replied in the affirmative, adding that the source of the funds was the Kogi State Government House Administration Account.
On count five, the witness testified that ₦170 million was used to acquire a property on Marsin Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, behind the residence of former Governor Yahaya Bello on Benghazi Street. He said the transaction was brokered by Ali Bello and a late Bureau de Change associate, Murtala Maigari, with part of the funds paid into the seller’s account and the balance converted to dollars.
Abubakar further told the court that ₦100 million was used to acquire a property at No. 1773 Guzape Street, Abuja (count six), while another property at No. 176, Plot 4882, Lome Street, Wuse, Abuja was acquired under count seven, all allegedly funded from the same government account.
On count eight, he testified that ₦66 million was paid in cash for a property at Plot 739 Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, stressing that the payment was not made on behalf of the Kogi State Government.
The witness recalled that he had earlier testified on how funds from the Government House Administration Account and security votes were allegedly used to purchase properties and renovate the family house of former Governor Yahaya Bello.
Justice Omotosho thereafter adjourned the matter to February 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, 2026, for continuation of trial.
