The ongoing trial of Ali Bello, nephew to former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, took a revealing turn on Tuesday as a key witness detailed the intricate web of cash transfers allegedly used to move state funds to private associates.
Testifying before Justice James Omotosho at the Federal High Court, Ahmed Audu Abubakar, the seventeenth prosecution witness, described how Bello reportedly utilised Bureau-de-Change (BDC) operators as conduits for massive monetary outflows. Under questioning by lead prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Abubakar claimed that Bello’s own extra-judicial statements confirm a pattern of fund movement directed by the defendant toward a circle of “cronies.”
The witness provided the court with a breakdown of specific transactions, asserting that the money was spent on behalf of both Ali Bello and the former governor. Among the listed beneficiaries was “Mother Care Welfare,” an NGO linked to the former governor’s wife, alongside multi-million naira payments for luxury vehicles and properties. Abubakar specifically highlighted a $N100$ million payment made to a third party named Dantata, an $N80$ million property transaction, and various disbursements to individuals residing in the Wuse district of Abuja.
Bello, who currently serves as Chief of Staff to Governor Usman Ododo, is facing an amended 16-count charge alongside co-defendant Dauda Sulaiman. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleges the pair were involved in the misappropriation and laundering of $N10,270,556,800$.
Following a cross-examination by defence counsel Ahmed Raji, SAN, Justice Omotosho adjourned the proceedings until May 6, 2026. The trial is expected to continue with further scrutiny of the financial records and the defendant’s prior statements to investigators.
