Yahaya Bello Case Heats Up As Witness Reveals Inside Dealings

A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja that he remitted between 50 and 60 per cent of commissions earned by his company from consultancy services to officials of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The witness, who appeared as the 18th prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made the disclosure on Wednesday before Justice Maryanne Anenih while being led in evidence by EFCC lead counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN).

Bello is standing trial 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.

The witness told the court that his company was engaged in information technology, software development, tax automation, marketing, and consultancy services for the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service.

He said the EFCC invited him for questioning over his company’s business relationship with the agency.

“My company had business dealings with the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service. It was in connection with that that my company was invited,” he said.

According to him, the firm provided services including tax automation, tax audits, and advisory support on tax policy and strategy.

He explained that the initial agreement entitled his company to a 15 per cent commission on tax collections above ₦350 million, which was later reduced to five per cent due to increased internally generated revenue and lower operational costs following automation.

The witness identified former Chairman of the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, Senator Yakubu Oseni, as one of the officials he dealt with during the consultancy arrangement.

He further told the court that between 50 and 60 per cent of the commissions earned by his company were paid out to certain stakeholders, although he admitted that such payments were not part of the formal consultancy agreement.

When asked if the payments were contractually required, he responded: “No.”

He stated that the payments were made through both bank transfers and cash, allegedly on the instructions of Senator Oseni through his Personal Assistant, Yusuf Abdulmumuni.

He also alleged that similar cash payments continued under Oseni’s successor, Aliyu Nda Salami, through his Personal Assistant, Abdulwahab.

The witness tendered company bank statements from Zenith Bank and Sterling Bank, which were admitted as exhibits. He noted that while the consultancy arrangement ran between 2016 and 2017, transactions in one of the accounts extended up to 2022.

He also disclosed that one Jami’u Salihu was appointed as a signatory to the company’s project account at the instance of Senator Oseni.

According to him, Salihu operated the account independently and executed several transactions, including inflows from KIRS and subsequent withdrawals.

He identified inflows of ₦92.4 million on August 9, 2017, and ₦261.8 million on August 14, 2017, followed by multiple withdrawals and payments to various companies, including Efab Properties.

However, he told the court that he could not identify the specific property involved, stating that he was not responsible for those transactions.

During cross-examination, he maintained that the company performed its duties satisfactorily and confirmed that Kogi State authorities never lodged any complaint regarding its services.

He also confirmed that key individuals mentioned in the case were still alive at the time of testimony.

Meanwhile, the EFCC also presented its 19th witness, a Bureau de Change operator, who identified himself as the owner of several companies and confirmed knowledge of multiple firms connected to the case through a customer.

Earlier, the court concluded the cross-examination of the 17th prosecution witness, who clarified that he was not related to any of the defendants despite bearing the Bello surname.

Justice Maryanne Anenih subsequently adjourned the matter to October 14, 15, 27, and 28, 2026, for continuation of trial.