A bureau de change operator, Jamilu Abdullahi, on Thursday told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that he handled foreign exchange transactions worth ₦1.425bn between December 15, 2021, and February 21, 2022, on behalf of Abba Adaudu.
Abdullahi, who testified as the 19th prosecution witness, PW19, in the ongoing alleged ₦110.4bn fraud trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said he delivered the foreign currencies purchased through the transactions to Adaudu.
The witness gave the testimony on October 15, 2026, before Justice Maryanne Anineh while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN.
Explaining the transactions, Abdullahi identified several cash lodgments and bank transfers into accounts linked to him and his company, Kunfayakun Global Limited, insisting that the funds were meant for foreign exchange transactions rather than gifts or personal deposits.
While being examined on Exhibit AR, which contained transactions spanning July 2021 to April 2022, the witness confirmed cash lodgments of ₦10m each made by Adaudu through the Lokoja branch.
“My lord, I confirm the cash lodgments of ten million naira by Abba Adaudu from the Lokoja branch. My lord, I confirm I received the cash lodgments. It wasn’t for gift but for a forex transaction,” he told the court.
He explained that the funds were used to purchase United States dollars for Adaudu.
The witness also identified a transfer dated January 18, 2022, from Keyless Limited, which he said belonged to Adaudu, maintaining that the transaction was equally connected to foreign exchange dealings.
However, when confronted with cash lodgments of ₦9m, ₦8m and another ₦8m recorded in his name through the Lokoja branch on February 22, 2022, Abdullahi denied personally making the deposits.
“In fact, I have never been to that branch in my life, but my name has been used as a beneficiary as any other person’s name can be used as the receiver, and it was a dollar transaction for Abba Adaudu,” he said.
He gave a similar explanation for multiple cash lodgments recorded against his name on March 10 and 11, 2022, insisting that he had never visited the Lokoja branch.
According to him, the names appearing in the transaction narrations depended on the instructions given by Adaudu.
“My lord, I get to know the cash was paid on Abba Adaudu’s behalf because whenever he makes a lodgment of cash in my account, the indicating narration is Abba Adaudu or Jamilu Abdullahi or any other name of their choice,” the witness said.
Abdullahi further told the court that he consistently delivered the converted foreign currencies to Adaudu after the transactions had been completed.
“My lord, I always send the converted forex to Abba Adaudu. All the transactions at the Lokoja were from Abba Adaudu,” he added.
The witness also identified Exhibit AK as his personal account with Access Bank’s Aminu Kano branch in Abuja.
He confirmed entries showing cash lodgments of ₦10m each on December 29 and 30, 2021, as well as January 1 and 31, 2022, but maintained that the deposits were made by Adaudu for foreign exchange transactions.
Abdullahi testified that he sometimes delivered the purchased dollars to Adaudu at his own office and, on other occasions, at Adaudu’s office in Area 8, Garki, Abuja.
Turning to transactions involving Kunfayakun Global Limited, which he identified as his company, the witness confirmed a credit entry of ₦100m received from Keyless Nature Limited through FCMB, Zone 4, in 2021.
He attributed the transfer to Adaudu, whom he said was responsible for the transaction.
The witness also identified a ₦400m transfer involving Keyless Nature Limited, which he similarly linked to Adaudu.
Additionally, Abdullahi confirmed multiple transfers of ₦100m each, totalling ₦600m, from Ejadams Essence Limited on February 18, 2022. He told the court that the company belonged to Adaudu.
The testimony forms part of the prosecution’s ongoing presentation of evidence in the alleged ₦110.4bn fraud case involving Bello.
The transactions and the witness’s explanations were presented as evidence before the court. The allegations against the former governor remain subject to determination by the court.
