Yahaya Bello Trial: Witness Narrates How Property Was Purchased for ₦650 Million in Abuja
Abuja,March 9, 2026
The trial of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, continued on Monday, March 9, 2026, with the 11th Prosecution Witness, James Bem Igbakymeh, narrating before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Maitama how a man identified as Shehu Bello purchased a property in Wuse II for ₦650 million.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Bello on a 19-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering amounting to ₦80,246,470,088.88.
Igbakymeh, a lawyer, told the court that sometime in October 2021, his client instructed him to sell a property located at Plot 1058, Cadastral Zone A08, Wuse II, Abuja. To attract buyers, he placed a banner on the property, after which Shehu Bello contacted him.
According to the witness, Shehu Bello visited his office to negotiate the purchase of the property and, after discussions, both parties agreed on a price of ₦650 million.
He explained that the payment was made into three designated accounts provided by his client.
“My lord, the monies were paid into three designated accounts — SFC Foods Limited in Polaris Bank, JIT Agric Limited in Polaris Bank, and SFC Foods Limited in Heritage Bank,” he said.
The witness further disclosed that the payments were made through different bureau de change operators before the property documents were eventually handed over to the buyer.
He told the court that investigators from the EFCC later invited him during the course of their investigation. According to him, he received a call from an EFCC official identified as Mohammed from the Commission’s office in Lagos, requesting that he report to their office in Wuse II, Abuja, regarding the transaction.
Igbakymeh said he honoured the invitation, wrote a statement, and submitted all relevant transaction documents to the commission.
When shown the Offer Letter and Deed of Assignment relating to the transaction, the witness confirmed that he could identify the documents.
“The letter was written by me and the Deed of Assignment was the one we signed. I can see the signature of my client and mine,” he told the court.
The prosecution subsequently tendered the documents in evidence. Although the defence reserved its objections until the final written address, Justice Nwite admitted the Deed of Assignment and the Offer Letter as Exhibits 44 and 45, respectively.
When asked to examine the last page of Exhibit 45, the witness stated that the name indicated as the assignee was Ali Bello. However, when asked whether Ali Bello and Shehu Bello were the same person, he responded that they were not.
Explaining the discrepancy, he said both men had appeared together during the negotiation process.
“My lord, during the course of the transaction, Shehu Bello came to my office with Ali Bello on two occasions during the negotiations,” he said.
Under cross-examination, the witness admitted that he did not prepare the Deed of Assignment, stating that it was brought to him by the individuals who intended to purchase the property. He also confirmed that the name appearing as the assignee in the document was Ali Bello.
Following his testimony, the witness was discharged.
The prosecution subsequently called its 12th witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a bureau de change operator.
Abdullahi told the court that he owned three companies — Kunfayakun Global Limited, E-Traders International Limited, and De-Remita International Limited. He confirmed making a statement to the EFCC in 2021, which was admitted by the court as Exhibit 36.
The witness also confirmed that he was the signatory to the accounts of the companies and that he operated a personal account with Access Bank.