Transactions in Kogi govt’s accounts violated no regulations Witness in Yahaya Bello’s trial.

A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of ex-governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and two others has claimed that the transactions carried out in accounts belonging to the state government violated no known banking regulations.

The witness, Mrs. Abimbola Williams, who is a Compliance Officer with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), featured as the third prosecution witness.

Bello is being prosecuted before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He is being prosecuted with Umar Oricha (Director General, Kogi State Government House) and Abdulsalami Hudu (an Accountant with the state government).

The EFCC is, in the 16-count charge, alleging criminal breach of trust to the tune of N110.4 billion.

Under cross-examination by the lawyer to Bello, Joseph Daudu, Williams said she was not the relationship or account manager of the Kogi Government House account.

She added that the account is domiciled in Lokoja (the capital of Kogi State), while she works in Abuja.

The witness said the banks do not enquire from customers the purpose for which they were making cash withdrawals, but that such a question could be asked when making transfers, and the relationship with the beneficiary in cases of high-volume transactions.

Obasanjo Recounts Emotional Moment He Learned of Abacha’s Death

Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has relived the dramatic moment he was informed of the death of General Sani Abacha, the late military ruler whose regime imprisoned him.

Speaking in a video shared by Symfoni TV, Obasanjo reflected on one of Nigeria’s most turbulent political eras, offering rare personal insight into how the end of Abacha’s rule became both a personal and national turning point.

Obasanjo was jailed in 1995 after being accused of plotting a coup against Abacha’s government—charges he consistently denied. Despite the uncertainty of his imprisonment, he said he held on to the hope of eventual freedom, though he never knew when it would come.

According to him, the shocking news of Abacha’s death on June 8, 1998, first came from a prison warder.

“The day Abacha died, a warder came to me and said, ‘Sir, congratulations.’
I asked him, ‘Warder, what is the problem?’
He replied, ‘Our enemy has died.’
I asked again, ‘Who is your enemy?’ And he said, ‘Abacha.’”

Initially, Obasanjo thought it might be a trap or misinformation. But as more warders repeated the same news, he realized something significant had happened.

Within a week, Obasanjo was released from Yola Prison, marking the start of his remarkable political comeback.

Abacha’s sudden death ended a regime often associated with human rights abuses, political repression, and corruption. His successor, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, quickly initiated a transition program that restored democracy in 1999.

For Obasanjo, the moment was more than personal liberation—it was a national rebirth. Less than a year later, he won the presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and became Nigeria’s first civilian president of the Fourth Republic.

Reflecting on his imprisonment, Obasanjo has often said the experience deepened his commitment to democracy and shaped many of his decisions while in office.

Since leaving office in 2007, he has remained an influential voice in Nigerian politics, frequently speaking on governance, security, and development. His recollections of the Abacha years, analysts say, highlight how moments of personal suffering can intersect with broader national transformation.

Obasanjo’s story remains a testament to resilience, timing, and the unpredictable turns of history that have defined Nigeria’s journey from military rule to democracy.

Jonathan Meets IBB & Abdulsalami in Abuja Amid Ongoing National Consultations

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Sunday paid a courtesy visit to former Nigerian heads of state, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, at their Abuja residence.

The closed-door meeting reportedly lasted several hours, though details have not been made public. Jonathan, known for his consistent calls for dialogue and consultation in tackling Nigeria’s challenges, is believed to have used the visit as part of his wider engagement with elder statesmen across the country.

Generals Abdulsalami and Babangida remain towering figures in Nigerian politics. Abdulsalami is revered for ushering in the Fourth Republic in 1999, while Babangida remains a key voice in national discourse, having ruled between 1985 and 1993.

Jonathan, who governed from 2010 to 2015, has maintained regular contact with past leaders, fostering discussions on unity, governance, and peace. His Abuja visit once again highlights the tradition of former leaders consulting one another to strengthen national stability.

#GoodluckJonathan #IBB #Abdulsalami #NigeriaPolitics #Leadership #Unity #NationBuilding

Alleged N110.4bn Fraud: Yahaya Bello Loses Bid for Overseas Medical Trip.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Bello alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu before Justice Anineh on a 16-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N110.4 billion.
Yahaya Bello
On Thursday, July 17, 2025, Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, dismissed an application filed by former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, seeking the release of his passport to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Bello alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu before Justice Anineh on a 16-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N110.4 billion.

At the last sitting, Bello, through his counsel, J.B. Daudu, SAN, had made an application, dated June 19, 2025 and filed on June 20, 2025, praying for a temporary release of his passport to enable him attend a scheduled medical appointment in the United Kingdom, with an undertaking to return the passport to the court upon his return.

In his response to the application, prosecution counsel, Chukwudi Enebeli, SAN, however, urged the court to refuse the request, arguing that the application was aimed at altering the bail conditions the court imposed on the defendant, which required him to deposit his passport with the court.

He further argued that the defendant’s sureties ought to have been put on notice to confirm their continued willingness or not to remain as sureties if the defendant was permitted to travel out of the country.

The prosecution counsel further submitted that the defendant had engaged in abuse of court process by filing a similar application in another court, which was still pending.

“The proper thing would have been for the defendant to retrieve his passport from the other court and then apply for a travel permit before this court. Asking both courts to release the same passport at the same time creates the risk of conflicting orders, which is an abuse of process,” he said.

At the resumed sitting on Thursday, prosecution counsel, Jami'u Agburo, informed the court that the matter was for ruling on the application and that the prosecution was ready.

Having steered Nigeria through years of misguided policies and unkept promises, Buhari and Abdulsalami now confront the inevitable backlash, and historical judgment, discovering that every act of misgovernance eventually returns to punish its architects harshly.

EXCLUSIVE: Two Former Nigerian Leaders, Abdulsalami, Buhari Sick And Dying In London – Source | Sahara Reporters