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Alleged N10bn fraud: EFCC witness tells court how Yahay Bello’s nephew used Kogi funds to buy Abuja properties

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An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ahmed Abubakar, has told a federal high court in Abuja how funds were allegedly diverted from the Kogi state government house administration account to acquire high-end properties in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Abubakar testified on Monday before James Omotosho, the presiding judge, as principal witness 17 (PW17) in the trial of Ali Bello, chief of staff to Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, and nephew to Yahaya Bello, former governor of the state.

The EFCC is prosecuting Bello alongside Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalami Hudu, former cashier of the Kogi state government house administration account, who is currently at large, on a 16-count amended charge bordering on misappropriation and money laundering of N10,270,556,800.

Abubakar told the court that Bello allegedly used N900 million to acquire a property located at No. 35 Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, known as Spring Hall School.

He said the funds were allegedly withdrawn from the Kogi state treasury and handed to a bureau de change operator, Rabiu Tafada, in Abuja, for conversion to foreign currencies and personal use.

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“My lord, the property belonged to an honourable from Bauchi state and was offered for sale at that amount,” the witness said.

“The first defendant engaged a lawyer, Barrister Ramalan, to broker the transaction. The payment was made in cash at a bureau de change office in Zone 4, Abuja, after the naira equivalent was converted to dollars.”

He added that the funds used for the purchase were withdrawn at different times from the Kogi state government house administration account.

When shown exhibit H by Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to the prosecution, the witness identified it as a deed of assignment between Pauchi Ventures Nigeria Limited and Y3 Nigeria Limited.

On count four, the EFCC alleged that Bello used N920 million to acquire a property at No. 2 Justice Chukwudi (Oguta) Street, Asokoro, Abuja.

Abubakar told the court that the transaction was brokered by Yahaya Bello.

“My lord, the former governor approached a contractor who had acquired the property through Wastle Motors, owned by Sa’id Dantsoho,” the witness said.

“They agreed that the property would be sold at the same price it was acquired for. Payment was to be made ‘in kind’ because His Excellency had just assumed office and promised to patronise the contractor.”

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He said an account was provided for loan repayments, adding that cash deposits were made from Lokoja, the Kogi state capital, while transfers were effected from the bureau de change operated by Rabiu Tafada and his company, Busynet, on the instruction of Bello.

The witness said the total loan facility stood at N808,698,263.29 as of March 21, 2018.

Abubakar further told the court that on April 8, 2020, several cash deposits were made at Access Bank’s Lokoja branch to service the loan.

When asked whether the payments were made in cash, the witness replied in the affirmative, adding that the source of the funds was the Kogi state government house administration account.

On count five, Abubakar said N170 million was used to acquire a property on Marsin Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, directly behind the residence of the former governor.

“Our investigation revealed that the funds were withdrawn from the Kogi state government house administration Account,” he said.

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“The transaction was brokered by the first defendant and his late bureau de change associate, Murtala Maigari.”

He said N100 million was paid into the property owner’s account, while N70 million was converted to United States dollars.

The witness also testified that N100 million was used to acquire a property at No. 1773 Guzape Street, Abuja, while another property at No. 176, Plot 4882, Lome Street, Wuse, Abuja, was funded from the same government account.

On count eight, Abubakar told the court that N66 million was paid for a property at Plot 739 Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, using cash withdrawn from the Kogi state government house administration account.

He stressed that the payment was not made on behalf of the Kogi state government.

Abubakar had earlier testified on how funds from the same account and security votes were allegedly used to purchase properties and renovate the family house of the former governor.

The judge adjourned the matter to February 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20, 2026, for continuation of trial.

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Police arrest teenager for stabbing two boys at UK school

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UK police said on Tuesday that they were questioning a teenager suspected of stabbing two boys at a London school, as counter-terrorism officers took over the investigation.

The suspect, said to be 13, was arrested several hours after allegedly fleeing the site of the attack on the boys aged 12 and 13, and police had recovered the suspected weapon used, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.

“We await an update on how they are, though we understand their conditions to be serious,” Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams told reporters at Kingsbury High School in northwest London.

“The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody for questioning by our officers,” he said.

“At this very early stage, we are keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind this attack.

“However, due to the surrounding circumstances, the investigation is now being led by officers from counter-terrorism policing London who are working closely with our local officers in response to this incident.”

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Williams added that the stabbing had not yet been declared “a terrorist incident” and noted that police were not looking for anyone else over the incident.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said she was “heartbroken to hear about the stabbings”, noting her ministry was “in contact with the school and council to offer support”.

Students were still being interviewed by police in one of the school’s halls, more than three hours after the usual school day finished, media reported.

The UK, and London in particular, has long grappled with teenage violence and the use of knives, while violence within schools has been growing nationwide, according to unions representing teachers.

A 15-year-old boy was remanded in custody in Wales last week after being charged with the attempted murder of a female teacher after allegedly attacking her with a kitchen knife.

Both teenage victims in the London stabbings, which occurred just after midday, were taken to hospital.

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“We treated two patients in total. We took one patient to hospital and the other as a priority to a major trauma centre,” the London Ambulance Service said.

In a letter to parents, Kingsbury High School headteacher Alex Thomas said it had been “a deeply traumatic event for the whole school community”.

“The situation is under control,” he added, noting some parts of the school — which serves nearly 2,000 pupils aged 11 to 18 — will be closed Wednesday.

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Dangote Refinery reduces petrol price to N774 per litre

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Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reduced its Premium Motor Spirit gantry price by N25 per litre, lowering its ex-depot rate from N799 to N774 per litre in what industry analysts describe as a strategic price recalibration amid evolving market dynamics in 2026.

The refinery communicated the price adjustment to marketers on Tuesday, noting that the new rate takes immediate effect.

In a notice issued by its Group Commercial Operations Department, Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE stated, “This is to notify you of a change in our PMS gantry price from N799 per litre to N774 per litre.”

The refinery also informed marketers that its PMS lifting incentive had ended.

“Additionally, please note that the PMS lifting bonus ended at 12:00 a.m. on 10th February 2026. The corresponding credit for volumes loaded from 2nd to 10th February 2026, within the stipulated volume thresholds earlier communicated, will be posted to your account statement. Thank you for your continued partnership,” the notice read.

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The closure of the bonus window, alongside the price cut, signals a transition from volume-driven incentives to a more stable pricing regime as the refinery consolidates its domestic market presence.

The latest reduction comes against the backdrop of volatile PMS pricing in 2025, following the full deregulation of the downstream sector and the removal of petrol subsidies.

Throughout much of 2025, PMS ex-depot prices fluctuated sharply, driven by exchange rate pressures, global crude oil movements and reliance on imported fuel. Ex-depot prices at various points ranged between N700 and over N800 per litre, while pump prices climbed even higher in several parts of the country.

The commencement of large-scale domestic supply from the Dangote refinery late in the year helped moderate prices, particularly along coastal and southern supply corridors, easing pressure on import parity pricing.

In early 2026, Dangote’s PMS gantry price had increased to N799 per litre after selling to Nigerians at N699 during the festive period.

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The latest N25 cut to N774 per litre suggests easing cost pressures and improving operational efficiency, as well as growing competition from alternative supply channels, including imported cargoes and expected output from modular refineries.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, is Africa’s largest single-train refinery and a cornerstone of Nigeria’s drive to reduce fuel imports and conserve foreign exchange.

Since commencing PMS supply to the domestic market, the refinery has increasingly shaped downstream pricing dynamics, often acting as a reference point for ex-depot rates.

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Electoral Act: Senate allows e-transmission of election results, retains manual backup

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The Senate has amended the Electoral Act to permit the electronic transmission of election results, leaving safeguards to address potential technical challenges.

Tuesday’s decision follows the upper chamber’s move on Tuesday to rescind its earlier position, which had rejected the compulsory electronic transmission of results from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV).

Following the new amendment, the Senate approved electronic transmission (without the real time phrase) as part of the electoral process but stipulated that where internet connectivity fails, the Form EC8A will remain the primary instrument for result collation.

Under the proposal, electronic transmission would serve as the primary method of uploading results.

However, in the event of technical challenges such as network failures, the motion provides for a fallback option allowing the manual transmission of results using Form EC8A, duly signed and stamped by the presiding officer.

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The proposal, however, sparked concerns among lawmakers, particularly over the reliance on Form EC8A as the primary source of election results, where disputes arise.

The differing views led to sharp divisions on the floor of the Senate, prompting Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to call for an individual vote on the matter to clearly determine the position of each lawmaker.

However, rather surprisingly, Senator Abaribe withdrew his call for individual votes moments later.

The votes and proceedings were then approved and adopted by the upper chamber.

Meanwhile, the upper chamber also appointed a 12-member conference committee to harmonise differences between its version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill and that of the House of Representatives.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the decision during an emergency plenary session on Tuesday.

“After consultation with the leadership, we have moved the number from nine to 12. I will now read out the names of the conference committee members from the Senate,” Akpabio said on the floor of the Senate.

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The members are:

1. Senator Simon Bako Lalong – Chairman

2. Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno – Member

3. Senator Adamu Aliero – Member

4. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu – Member

5. Senator Abba Moro – Member

6. Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong – Member

7. Senator Aminu Iya Abbas – Member

8. Senator Tokunbo Abiru – Member

9. Senator Niyi Adegbonmire (SAN) – Member

10. Senator Jibrin Isah – Member

11. Senator Ipalibo Banigo – Member

12. Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi – Member

Proceedings at Tuesday’s Senate sitting became tense, as repeated interruptions and heated exchanges disrupted debates in the Red Chamber.

The atmosphere shifted after lawmakers began deliberation on a motion sponsored by Senator Tahir Monguno, which triggered sharp divisions among members.

Monguno proposed that the Senate rescind its earlier approval of Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026—a provision that outlines the process for transmitting election results electronically.

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The debate culminated in Senate President Godswill Akpabio lending his support to a revised framework that designates electronic transmission as the primary mode of uploading results, while allowing manual submission via Form EC8A strictly where technical challenges occur.

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