Inside the Currency Exchange: How A BDC Operator Helped Yahaya Bello Convert Naira to Dollars

Inside the Currency Exchange: How A BDC Operator Helped Yahaya Bello Convert Naira to Dollars

Jamilu Abdullahi, a Bureau de Change operator and the third prosecution witness in the trial of Ali Bello, testified on November 5, 2024, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja. According to Naija News, he confirmed that representatives of the Kogi State Government delivered funds to him to pay the school fees for the daughters of former governor Yahaya Bello.

During cross-examination by Ali Bello’s lawyer, A.M. Aliyu SAN, Abdullahi clarified that each payment he received was converted to its cash dollar equivalent. “The funds for the school fees were brought to my office in cash,” he stated.

The defense team attempted to submit a WhatsApp conversation between Abdullahi and the second defendant, Abba Adaudu, as evidence. However, prosecution attorney Abbas Mohammed objected, stating that the court had not been made aware of this document. The defense then requested an adjournment to provide the prosecution with the chat records.

Justice Egwuatu granted the request, rescheduling the trial to continue on November 6, 2024. Ali Bello, who is related to Yahaya Bello, faces charges from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) along with Adaudu, Yakubu Adabenege, and Iyada Sadat. They are accused of 18 counts of money laundering and misappropriation, involving over N3 billion