RismadarVoice Reporters, June 17, 2026
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that between 50 and 60 percent of the commissions earned by his company from consultancy services to the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KSIRS) were paid to certain revenue officials.
Testifying before Justice Maryanne Anineh on Wednesday, the witness, who appeared as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) 18th prosecution witness, said his company provided tax automation, tax audit and advisory services to KSIRS under a consultancy arrangement.
According to the witness, the company initially received a 15 percent commission on tax collections above ₦350 million. He explained that the commission was later reduced to five percent after the state’s internally generated revenue increased significantly and operating costs dropped due to automation.
The witness identified former KSIRS Chairman, Yakubu Oseni, as one of the officials he worked with during the contract. He told the court that a substantial portion of the commissions earned by his company was subsequently distributed to certain stakeholders, despite such payments not being part of the consultancy agreement.
He alleged that the transfers and cash payments were made based on instructions from Oseni through his aide, Yusuf Abdulmumuni. Similar payments, he added, later continued under Oseni’s successor, Aliyu Nda Salami, through Salami’s personal assistant, Abdulwahab.
The witness further revealed that one Jami’u Salihu, nominated by Oseni, was made a signatory to the project account operated by his company. He stated that Salihu could independently authorize transactions on the account.
During the proceedings, the prosecution reviewed bank statements tendered as exhibits, showing multiple inflows from KSIRS into the company’s accounts and subsequent withdrawals. Among the transactions highlighted were payments of over ₦92.4 million and ₦261.8 million received in August 2017, followed by withdrawals allegedly made by Salihu.
The EFCC is prosecuting Bello alongside Umar Shuaibu Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu on a 16-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving an alleged ₦110.4 billion.
The trial continues.
