Witness Links ₦10bn Kogi Funds to Ali Bello

The trial of Ali Bello, Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, took a dramatic turn on Monday as a prosecution witness directly linked him to suspicious fund transfers allegedly connected to a ₦10.27 billion fraud.

Bello, alongside his co-defendant Dauda Sulaiman, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on a 16-count amended charge bordering on alleged misappropriation and money laundering.

Testifying as the 17th prosecution witness (PW17), EFCC investigator Ahmed Audu Abubakar told the court that financial records recovered during investigation showed multiple transfers allegedly tied to the defendants.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness identified a document marked Exhibit F, detailing inflows and outflows of funds. He revealed that on February 5, 2021, an outflow of $91,000 was made to “Oga Ali,” which he said referred to the first defendant, Ali Bello.

He further disclosed that on February 6, 2021, ₦150,000 was paid to “Presido,” while ₦150 million was allegedly transported from Lokoja to a Bureau de Change operator through an individual identified as “Rashido,” said to be Abdulrasheed.

The witness also pointed to entries dated February 19, 2021, indicating that ₦10 million was endorsed to Ali Bello and ₦500,000 to “Daud,” whom he identified as the second defendant, Dauda Sulaiman. He clarified that references to “Alhaji Ali” in the documents also pointed to Bello.

In a separate transaction, the witness testified that ₦100 million — made up of ten separate transfers of ₦10 million each — was paid to Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company for Plot 1060 in Gwarimpa, Abuja. He said the funds were sourced from Maigari Murtala, described as an ally of the first defendant and a contact with the Bureau de Change operator.

An irrevocable power of attorney for the property was tendered and admitted as Exhibit Q.

Tension arose in court when prosecution counsel sought to tender the extra-judicial statements of the defendants. Defence counsel objected, arguing that the statements did not comply with provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), particularly regarding the voluntariness and audio-visual recording of the statements.

Justice Omotosho subsequently ordered a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements.

During the sub-trial, PW17 maintained that the statements were voluntarily made without threats or promises and were taken in the presence of defence counsel, including Z.E. Abbas.

Following arguments and cross-examination, the court admitted the statements into evidence after defence counsel raised no further objections.

Justice Omotosho adjourned the case to February 17, 2026, for continuation of trial.

The EFCC alleges that the defendants were involved in the misappropriation and laundering of ₦10,270,556,800.00 in funds belonging to the Kogi State Government.