Two high-profile corruption cases involving former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, dominated proceedings at the Federal High Court and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja on Thursday, January 29, 2026.

During the hearings, prosecution witnesses laid out details of massive cash flows, questionable withdrawals and the alleged use of falsified documents.

In the case against Yahaya Bello before Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, the seventh prosecution witness, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank, testified that more than N2.5 billion originating from Kogi State local government councils was funneled into the account of a private company within an eight-month period.

Bello is currently facing 19 counts of money laundering involving an alleged N80.2 billion.

Under examination by prosecution counsel Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, Egoro told the court that between May and December 2022, a total of N2.56 billion was paid into the account of Fazab Business Enterprise from various local government councils in Kogi State.

He disclosed that on May 6, 2022 alone, 11 separate deposits totaling N103.3 million were received from LGAs such as Yagba East, Yala, Idah and Okene. Further deposits from Ibaji and Dekina LGAs on May 9 raised the total inflow for the month to N117.9 million.

According to the witness, nearly all the funds were quickly withdrawn in cash by one Yakubu Siyaka A., who allegedly made cash withdrawals amounting to N116.6 million within the same month.

Egoro added that similar transactions occurred in June and July 2022, with inflows of N250.5 million, out of which about N198.9 million was withdrawn in cash. Between August and December 2022, additional inflows reached N2.19 billion, while total cash withdrawals during the eight-month period stood at N582.3 million.

The witness also told the court that several transfers were made to individuals and companies, including Konforte Koncept Company, Abba Adaudu, Shetland Logistics Services Limited, Ejadams Essence Limited and Hadassah Katriel Global Enterprise, which reportedly received N430 million through seven transactions.

Egoro further testified on the account of E-Traders International Limited, revealing that between July 26, 2021 and April 6, 2022, about N3.145 billion was deposited in cash into the company’s account in multiple installments, mostly below N10 million per transaction.

He noted that the deposits were made by individuals including Abba Adaudu, Jamilu Abdullahi and Haruna Mohammed, all at the Lokoja Branch of Access Bank, despite the account being opened in Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

At the close of the day’s proceedings, Bello’s counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, requested the temporary release of his client’s international passport to allow him travel for the lesser hajj during Ramadan. The prosecution raised no objection but urged the court to notify another court where Bello is facing a separate charge. Justice Nwite adjourned the matter to January 30, 2026.

Meanwhile, at the FCT High Court, the trial of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele also took a dramatic turn as the eleventh prosecution witness, Bashirudden Muhammed Maishanu, an Assistant Director at the CBN, narrated how $6.23 million was allegedly withdrawn from the Garki Branch of the apex bank using forged documents.

Testifying before Justice Hamza Muazu, Maishanu said the withdrawal, which took place on February 8, 2023, was allegedly meant for election observers and logistics.

He told the court that one Alhaji Ahmed approached him, claiming to be acting on presidential approval and on the instructions of Emefiele’s former personal assistant. According to him, after being shown documents believed to be genuine, a friend accompanied Ahmed to the CBN branch where the cash was released.

Maishanu revealed that Ahmed allegedly left with $2.5 million, while the remaining funds were shared among himself and two others. He later discovered that the approval documents were forged and admitted accepting responsibility for the lapse.

During cross-examination, he maintained that such a withdrawal could not occur without internal processes but insisted that the transaction was fraudulent. The court adjourned the case to January 30, 2026, for continuation of hearing.