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BREAKING: Alleged N3bn Fraud: How Kogi State LG funds were laundered —Witness
The Sixth Prosecution Witness, PW6, Remigius Egu in the trial of Ali Bello, Yakubu Isiaka Adabenege, Abba Adaudu and Iyada Sadat on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, narrated before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, how funds belonging to various Local Government Areas, LGAs, of Kogi State were allegedly diverted and laundered through private accounts.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is prosecuting the quartet on 18-count charges, bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of over N3 billion.
Bello, the first defendant is nephew of the former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello as well as the current Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank identified documents marked “Exhibits E and E1” as having originated from Zenith Bank.
He also confirmed that a letter dated March 16, 2022, addressed to the EFCC Zonal Commander, pertained to an account belonging to a customer, Adabenege, the second defendant, and contained transaction evidence from the bank.
In his breakdown of the transactions, the witness told the court that multiple inflows of large sums of money from several Kogi State LGAs were traced to the account of Korforte Concept Limited on October 4, 2023.
These he said were as follows:
Ogori Magongo LGA: N14,844,640.57;
Ibaji LGA: N18,629,944.51;
Adavi LGA: N20,887,557.54;
Kogi LGA: N17,929.59;
Kabba/Bunu LGA: N18,460,569.12;
Ajaokuta LGA: N22,764,334.70;
Okene LGA: 20,758,710.37;
Yagba West LGA: N18,234,063.61;
Ofu LGA: N21,368,633.69.
“My Lord, all the inflows were received on October 4, 2023,” he said.
Before the inflows, the witness disclosed that the balance in the Korforte Concept Limited account was a mere N7,370 (Seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Seventy Naira) and that on the same day, a transaction of N110 million was made from the account to Adaudu one of the defendants.
He further revealed that on October 5, 2018, more funds were funnelled into the same account from additional LGAs that included:
Igalamela/Odolu LGA: N19,480,651.20;
Olamaboro LGA: N19,089,517.01;
Dekina LGA: N23,373,201.67;
Ibaji LGA: N15,653,631.39;
Omala LGA: N16,876,252.03;
Lokoja LGA: N20,591,073.74.
He also disclosed that a transfer of N21.9 million to one Musa Omuya was made from the account that same day.
Further in his testimony, the witness disclosed that there were more inflows into the account on October 8, 2018, being
N17,369,243.52 from Ijumu LGA and
N17,471,549.57 from Bassa LGA.
On October 10, 2018, he said that transactions from the account showed N10 million, wired to Musa Omuya and N5.1 million and N5 million, respectively, wired to Adaudu.
Earlier in the proceedings, the Fifth Prosecution Witness, PW5, Oyinkosola Akerele Shukurat, the Managing Director of Forza Oil and Gas Limited, disclosed that the company, which also engages in foreign exchange transactions, received a payment from a customer, named Abdul Bashir for the purchase of U.S. dollars.
She further disclosed that the dollars that were procured were sent to four beneficiaries, three of whom were identified as Fatima Bello, Na’ima Bello, and Zara Bello, for the payment of their school fees at the American International School (AIS), totalling $139,000.
When shown Page 14 and 15 of “Exhibit D” series, the witness identified a payment of $49,600, with $44,700 sent to AIS on behalf of Fatima Bello.
On Page 23 of the same exhibit, she confirmed another $44,700 payment for Fatima Bello.
The final transaction, according to her, was $44,700 for Na’ima Bello.
She was cross-examined by defence counsel A.M. Aliyu, SAN and Nureini Jimoh, SAN.
Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter till May 5, 19, 20, and 21, 2025, for continuation of trial.
A teacher at Federal Government College, Anka, Mustapha Yahaya Maru, has reportedly been k!lled by armed band!ts despite the payment of ransom for his release.
Sahara Reporters reports that Maru was abducted early May while travelling to Anka in Zamfara State alongside several other passengers after their vehicle was intercepted by the attackers.
Following the abduction, the k!dnappers contacted his family and demanded a ransom far beyond their financial capacity.The report states that after intense efforts and negotiations, the family eventually raised and paid the agreed amount in hopes of securing his freedom.
Tragically, the bandits k!lled Maru on Tuesday instead of releasing him.
His de@th has thrown his family and the Maru community into mourning and has further heightened concerns over the worsening insecurity in the region.
The Presidency on Wednesday said social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VDM, should face the law over the circulation of an alleged fake audio purportedly involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated this in a post on X, accusing VDM of disseminating false content on social media.
“This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu. This is a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform,” Onanuga wrote.
The presidential aide was reacting to a post by an X user, identified as Aneex, who questioned why some people believed the voice in the audio belonged to Tinubu.
The user described the audio as “cheap propaganda” and alleged that VDM was exploiting emotions to spread misinformation.
In the viral content, VeryDarkMan allegedly used the audio to call on Nigerians to reject President Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.
The development comes just days after President Tinubu secured the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress at the party’s nationwide direct primary held on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
During the exercise, Tinubu reportedly polled 10,999,162 votes, defeating his sole challenger, APC chieftain Stanley Osifo, who secured 16,503 votes from over 12 million registered party members.
Meanwhile, opposition figures are already positioning ahead of 2027, with Peter Obi expected to fly the flag of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is also expected to lead the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has felicitated Muslim faithful in the state and the nation as whole on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, urging unity, tolerance, sacrifice, and hope.
Mbah, in his Eid goodwill message on Tuesday, also called for charity, urging Nigerians to rise in solidarity with one another, especially the less privileged.
He said, “On the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, I extend warm felicitations to our Muslim brothers and sisters in Enugu State and across Nigeria as they commemorate this sacred festival of faith, sacrifice, and devotion to Almighty Allah.
“Eid-el-Kabir reminds us that sacrifice lies at the very heart of true service to God and humanity. It calls to mind the profound blessings inherent in the virtues of patience, obedience, trust, and unwavering faith – values exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim and which remain timeless lessons for us all.
“At a time when our nation continues to navigate important political and economic transitions, the significance of this celebration becomes even more profound.
“Let us be reminded that we all belong to one shared humanity and our collective progress as a people depends on our ability to uphold unity, mutual respect, peace, and compassion above all divisions.
“This season, therefore, offers us another opportunity to recommit ourselves to the ideals of tolerance, sacrifice for the common good, and solidarity with one another, especially the vulnerable among us.
“As we celebrate, I urge all citizens to continue to pray for the peace, stability, and prosperity of our dear state and nation. Let us also continue to work together in harmony to build a society defined by justice, opportunity, and shared progress for all.”
He concluded by wishing the Muslim faithful a peaceful and joyous Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
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