Crime
No Evidence Linking Yahaya Bello To Properties, EFCC Witness Tells Court
The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on alleged money laundering charges continued on Monday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, with two witnesses taking the stand.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented its first witness, Segun Adelakun, General Manager of EFAB Properties Limited, who testified about property transactions linked to the case.
Adelakun told the court that Bello’s name did not appear on any documents for two properties under scrutiny, located at 1, Ikogosi Road, Maitama, and another in Gwarinpa.
READ ALSO: Court Adjourns Yahaya Bello’s Money Laundering Case Until April
He recounted that in 2020, his chairman, Chief Fabian Nwora, introduced him to a man named Shehu Bello, who discussed the purchase of the properties.
When asked if he had seen Shehu Bello after their first meeting, Adelakun responded, “I had seen him three times.
“The first time was for introduction, the second time for payment, and the third time was when he brought a legal document for the execution of the EFAB property.”
The prosecution also questioned Adelakun about a separate property on 5th Avenue, Gwarinpa, which he confirmed was purchased by Nuhu Mohammed for ₦70 million, paid via bank transfer. However, he could not recall which bank was used.
During cross-examination, Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), pressed Adelakun on whether he had any direct dealings with the former governor.
Daudu asked if Adelakun’s actions were purely based on his chairman’s instructions, to which he replied, “Yes.” He also confirmed that he never initiated discussions with Shehu Bello on his own.
Further questioning revealed that Adelakun did not witness Shehu Bello sign any documents, nor did he ever see Yahaya Bello during the transaction.
When asked whether Bello’s name appeared on any documents held by the EFCC, Adelakun responded, “No.”
The EFCC then called its second witness, Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa (UBA), who appeared in court with a subpoena.
She presented financial documents, which were admitted as Exhibit 1, including:
- Kogi State Government House account statements (Jan 1, 2016 – Jan 31, 2024)
- Maselina Njoku’s account statements (Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2022)
- American International School’s account opening documents and statements (Sept 1 – Sept 30, 2020)
Bello’s defense objected to the prosecution’s introduction of a subpoenaed witness without prior notice but stated they had no intention of delaying the trial.
Following the witness testimonies, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the trial to March 6 and 7, 2025, for the continuation of proceedings.
The EFCC maintains its case against Yahaya Bello, while his legal team insists no evidence directly links him to the transactions.
The trial is set to resume next year.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two elderly men aged 84 and 75 for allegedly supplying illicit drugs to secondary school students in Umuahia, Abia State, in a shocking case that has stirred public concern.
The suspects, identified as Godfrey Orji (84) and Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora (75), were arrested in separate intelligence-led operations by NDLEA operatives over their alleged involvement in drug distribution within school communities.
Drugs hidden in patent medicine shop
According to the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Obiora was arrested on June 19, 2026, after credible intelligence linked him to selling illicit substances to students from his patent medicine store located at 4 Club Road, Umuahia.
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A search of the premises reportedly led to the recovery of 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
Babafemi stated: “Pa Obiora was arrested by NDLEA operatives following credible intelligence that he was selling illicit substances to young students and others in his patent medicine store.”
Arrest at school exposes second suspect
In a separate operation, Godfrey Orji, a pensioner, was apprehended after he was allegedly caught supplying drugs to students of Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia.
Security guards at the school reportedly intercepted him and handed him over to the police, who later transferred him to the NDLEA.
One of the teenage students, a 15-year-old SS2 pupil, allegedly confessed during interrogation that the suspect regularly supplied him with drugs, which he also sold to other students.
Students moved to rehabilitation
The NDLEA confirmed that while the two suspects will face prosecution, the affected students have been placed under counselling and rehabilitation programmes as part of efforts to curb drug abuse in schools.
Nationwide crackdown continues
The Abia arrests come amid ongoing nationwide operations by the NDLEA, which also recorded major drug seizures across the country In Lagos, operatives intercepted 9.5kg of ADB-Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid concealed in a shipment from China.
Another raid uncovered 300 grams of cannabis (“Loud”) hidden in handbags at a logistics facility.
A drug dealer’s home in Ajah was raided, with codeine syrup and cannabis recovered.
In Kogi State, a suspect was arrested with 1.030kg of methamphetamine hidden in custard containers.
In Oyo State, operatives recovered 1,416kg of skunk during a major raid.
In Edo State, large cannabis farms were destroyed, with over 4,000kg of cannabis recovered or eradicated.
NDLEA vows stronger enforcement
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended operatives across multiple states for their coordinated operations and urged them to sustain the momentum.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to both enforcement and public sensitisation under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
The NDLEA says it will continue its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, especially those targeting vulnerable young people in school environments, as investigations and prosecutions continue in the Abia case.
Popular TikTok personality, Fati Cele, has been detained by the Kano State Police Command following the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye, at her residence in Kano State.
The development was confirmed on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna, who said the social media influencer is currently in custody while investigations continue.
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“Yes, it’s true, the TikToker is currently being detained over the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye,” Haruna said.
The police spokesperson, however, declined to provide further details regarding the incident, stressing that investigations are ongoing.
Fati Cele, who is originally from Borno State, resides in a rented apartment in the Danbare area of Kano.
She is a well-known content creator on TikTok, where she has built a following of more than 32,000 followers.
According to a source close to the deceased who spoke on condition of anonymity, the incident occurred after Cele allegedly raised an alarm from her residence, claiming there was a fire outbreak.
The source said Makaye was immediately rushed to Nassarawa Hospital for treatment but was later confirmed dead.
It was further gathered that officers attached to the Dorayi Babba Police Division subsequently took the TikTok personality into custody as part of ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The deceased, Makaye, was a cosmetics trader who lived in the Hotoro Tishama area of Kano.
Family associates disclosed that he was buried at Unguwa Uku Yan Awaki after his remains were released to relatives for burial rites.
The Kano State Police Command has yet to disclose the exact cause of death, maintaining that investigations are still underway.
The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered an alleged human trafficking scheme and arrested a woman accused of attempting to traffic three young women from Kaduna State to Ivory Coast for prostitution.
The victims, aged between 18 and 20, were reportedly lured from Kaduna to Lagos with promises of legitimate employment at a restaurant.
However, upon arriving in the Ajegunle area of Lagos on May 23, they allegedly discovered that the job offer was a cover for a plan to send them abroad for prostitution.
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According to information obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), one of the victims became suspicious after learning of the suspect’s alleged intentions and immediately objected to the arrangement.
A police source disclosed that the young woman informed the suspect that prostitution was never part of the agreement and that they had travelled to Lagos believing they were coming for genuine employment opportunities.
“She immediately told the suspect that prostitution was not what they had been told they were coming to Lagos for,” the source said.
The source further revealed that the suspect allegedly took the girls to a motor park in preparation for their movement out of the country.
“The suspect allegedly took the girls to a motor park with plans to facilitate their movement out of the country.
“Alarmed by the development, one of the victims approached the police and lodged a complaint.
“Following the report, detectives launched an investigation and subsequently apprehended the suspect,” the source added.
Following the complaint, detectives launched an investigation that led to the arrest of the suspect.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Tijani, subsequently ordered that the case be transferred from the Tolu Police Division in Ajegunle to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for a thorough investigation.
The case is currently being handled by the Anti-Human Trafficking/Gender Unit of the SCID under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the department, Mr. Dayo Akinbisehin.
Investigators are probing allegations of conspiracy, deception and human trafficking, while efforts are ongoing to rescue other victims reportedly being held by an accomplice and identify additional members of the suspected trafficking network.
The police source also disclosed that the victims were never informed about the alleged plan before leaving Kaduna and that one of them became alarmed only after learning of the intention to transport them abroad for prostitution.
Authorities said investigations have been concluded and the suspect is expected to be charged to court soon.
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