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Yahaya Bello Vs EFCC: Court Adjourns Ruling and Continuation of Trials to June 26 , 27 and July 4 and 5
You cannot cross examine him based on the document,” Daudu SAN argued. Enitan SAN added that he had the right to draw the attention of the court to some specific paragraphs in the document.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the hearing of the alleged money laundering case instituted against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to June 26, 27 and July 4 and 5 for ruling on the request by the prosecution to “cross-examine” the 3rd witness and for continuation of trial.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the hearing after listening to addresses by the prosecution and defence counsels on the Prosecution’s move to initially cross-examine the witness, a position that was rejected by the Defendant’s Counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN.
When the matter was called for continuation of cross-examination, the Defendant’s counsel asked the witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, whether he had testified in other courts with respect to the issue of school fees paid by the Bello family to AISA, he said yes.
But the witness, an internal auditor at the American International School, Abuja, said he could not mention the exact courts.
He admitted testifying in a similar charge involving Ali Bello but added that he never said anything adversely against former Governor Yahaya Bello just as he had not said anything negative or adversely against him in the instant charge.
After Daudu SAN concluded the cross-examination of the witness, Nicholas Ojehomon, the EFCC’s lawyer, Olukayode Enitan, SAN, moved to also cross-examine the Commission’s witness on Exhibit 19.
He told the court that he was not re-examining the EFCC’s witness, but cross-examining him because the document was admitted in evidence.
“I am not re-examining him, I am cross-examining him because they brought this document,” he said.
The Defendant’s lawyer, however, drew the court’s attention to the fact that the prosecution counsel’s position was unknown to law, in line with the Evidence Act.
“If you want to cross-examine your own witness, you have to first declare him a hostile witness. You cannot cross examine him based on the document,” Daudu SAN argued. Enitan SAN added that he had the right to draw the attention of the court to some specific paragraphs in the document.
At this point, the judge asked: “Do you have any provision of the law to support this?””I will draw your lordship attention to Section 36 of the Constitution.
They sought to tender this document, we objected and the court granted their prayer. Fair hearing demands that the complainant too has the right to examine this because Section 36 of the Constitution talks of fair hearing,”
Enitan responded. “We are not saying that they cannot re-examine the witness. That is what Section 36 under the law says about fair hearing. But if it is to cross-examine him, he will have to show us the law that backs that.
“He cannot come under the guise of fair hearing to want to cross-examine the witness,” the Defendant’s lawyer maintained. The judge, at the end of the arguments, refused to allow cross-examination of the witness by the EFCC lawyer.”
Under the procedure, the witness gives evidence in chief and the defendant cross examines, then the prosecution re-examines.
“With due respect, what I will do is if you people are so skewed to continue with this, it is better to address me on this and I will take a position,” he stated.
At this point, the prosecution counsel agreed to re-examine the EFCC’s witness and the judge gave him the go-ahead.”You can re-examine him on that but not to ask questions that will show cross examination,” Justice Nwite said.
However, when the prosecution lawyer proceeded to re-examine the witness, and his questions pointed at cross-examination, as observed by Daudu SAN, the judge insisted that the parties had to address him on the specific issue.
The Defendant’s Counsel, in his address, maintained that the position was unknown to law.
“My lord, the procedure that is being sought by the prosecution by refering the witness to the document tender in Exhibit 19 and by asking him to read paragraph 1, without drawing his attention to the issue on how the document affected his evidence in chief, the question asked in cross-examination, and the ambiguity, which needs clarification, amounts to a strange and unknown procedure not covered by the Evidence Act,” he stated.
Enitan SAN, disagreed, saying that in the case of Amobi Amobi referred to by the defendant’s counsel, the Supreme Court held that the learned trial judge ought to have allowed a re-examination of Exhibit E.
He said when the defendant sought to introduce the document, the prosecution team “submitted that this document was not made by the witness and as such, he should not be allowed to speak to it under cross examination or allowed to be confronted with it.”
“Having brought it in now, during the case of the prosecution, particularly during the cross examination of PW-3, your lordship should not allow them to shut us out as that would amount to the court allowing them to blow hot and cold,” Pinheiro SAN said.
Justice Nwite thereafter adjourned to June 26, 27 and July 4 and 5 for ruling and continuation of trial.
The 3rd prosecution witness had, at the last hearing on Thursday, said there was no wired transfer of fees from the Kogi State Government or any of the local Governments in the state to the account of the American International School, Abuja.
He also read out a part of a previous Federal Capital Territory High Court judgment that said there was no court order for AISA to return fees to EFCC or any judgment declaring the money as proceeds of money laundering.
Exactly sixty years after his tragic assassination during Nigeria’s first military coup, the legacy of Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola former Premier of the Western Region and the 13th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland continues to resonate as “the thunder of history,” a powerful symbol of courage, pragmatism, and unyielding leadership.
On January 15, 2026, marking the 60th remembrance of Akintola’s death on January 15, 1966, tributes poured in from across Nigeria, with events held in Ibadan and Ogbomosho emphasizing his enduring impact on the nation’s political evolution.
Chief Akintola, born on July 6, 1910, in Ogbomosho, was a multifaceted figure: lawyer, journalist, orator, nationalist, Baptist lay preacher, and conservative Yoruba leader who rose from humble beginnings to become one of the founding fathers of modern Nigeria.
Akintola served as Premier of the Western Region from October 1960 until his assassination in the January 15, 1966 coup that ended the First Republic. His tenure was marked by intense political rivalries, particularly his fallout with Chief Obafemi Awolowo over ideological differences Akintola’s pragmatic, business-oriented approach clashed with Awolowo’s democratic socialism.
The crisis led to a state of emergency in the region, Akintola’s brief removal and restoration to power, and the formation of the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) in alliance with the Northern People’s Congress.
Despite controversies surrounding the 1965 elections, which many historians cite as a catalyst for the coup, supporters portray Akintola as a realist who prioritized regional development, infrastructure, and confronting realities head-on rather than ideological purity.
“He believed that leadership must confront reality as it is, not as it ought to be,” noted commentators during the remembrance.
The Samuel Ladoke Akintola Memorial Foundation organized commemorative activities, providing a platform to honor his contributions and re-examine his role in Nigeria’s political history.
Prominent voices, including former Information Minister Sunday Dare, described the gathering in Ibadan as one of gratitude rather than mourning: “Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola did not live too long but he lived well and looms large. He did not die in silence he entered eternity in the thunder of history.
“Born into a family of traders and warriors, Akintola’s early life included education in Minna and Ogbomosho, teaching at Baptist institutions, and further studies in public administration and law in England. He returned to Nigeria in 1950, serving in various federal roles before becoming deputy leader of the Action Group and eventually Premier.
His assassination at age 55 in Ibadan remains a pivotal moment in Nigerian history, symbolizing the fragility of the young republic. Today, as Nigeria grapples with contemporary leadership challenges, reflections on Akintola’s life highlight lessons in pragmatism, sacrifice, and the burdens of power.
Stakeholders continue to call for the preservation of his legacy, including calls to restore his once-grand residence, now in disrepair, as a historical site.
Sixty years on, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola remains a towering, if complex, figure whose thunder still echoes through Nigeria’s political landscape.
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Benue Governor Alia begins massive road reconstruction in Gboko and environs
Engineer Tivfa Wombo, Director of Civil Engineering in the Ministry of Works, detailed the extensive works during the event, highlighting the strategic importance of these roads in connecting critical areas within Gboko township and beyond.
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has officially flagged off the ambitious reconstruction and dualization of 55.09 kilometres of major road networks in Gboko and its surrounding areas, in a move aimed at transforming infrastructure and boosting economic activities in the state.
The groundbreaking ceremony, held at Lubona Junction in Gboko Local Government Area on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, marks a significant step in the administration’s commitment to quality road infrastructure.
The project, valued at N62.135 billion according to the Benue State Ministry of Works, is targeted for completion within five months.
Governor Alia, while performing the flag-off, emphasized his administration’s focus on deliberate development, stating that the initiative will ease traffic congestion, enhance urban mobility, stimulate commerce, create employment opportunities, and improve the overall quality of life for residents of Gboko and environs.
The scope of the project includes the reconstruction and dualization of several key roads, such as:
– Yandev Roundabout to Lubona Junction
– Captain Dawns Road
– Tor Tiv Roundabout to Lessel Road- J.S. Tarka to Mkar Roundabout (as a dual carriageway)
– Tor Tiv Roundabout (Gondo Aluor) to Mkar and Ameladu Road- NKST Anzua Link Road
– Bristow Roundabout to Tor Tiv Palace (Akaahar Adi) Road
Engineer Tivfa Wombo, Director of Civil Engineering in the Ministry of Works, detailed the extensive works during the event, highlighting the strategic importance of these roads in connecting critical areas within Gboko township and beyond.
The governor expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support, underscoring the collaborative efforts between the state and federal government in driving infrastructure development. Benue State APC Chairman, Chief Titus Zam, also commended the governor for the project, describing it as part of a broader agenda to open up the state through quality infrastructure.
This Gboko road network initiative is noted as the second-longest single road project in the state, following ongoing works on a 57-kilometre network in the Benue South Senatorial District, including the Awajir–Oju road.
Stakeholders and residents have welcomed the development as a timely intervention to address long-standing road challenges in one of Benue’s major commercial hubs, with expectations high for timely delivery and lasting impact on local economies and daily commuting.
News
Benue moves to control private school fees; NAPPS kick
Dr Terna Francis, Executive Secretary of the Benue State Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board (BEQAEB), issued the warning while responding to criticism from the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), which accused the board of heavy-handed regulation.
• Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia
The Benue State Government has directed private school owners against charging excessive school fees.
The directive forms part of broader reforms aimed at improving standards and ensuring fairness in the education sector.
Dr. Terna Francis, Executive Secretary of the Benue State Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board (BEQAEB), issued the warning while responding to criticism from the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), which accused the board of heavy-handed regulation.
Francis maintained that fee control is a legal requirement tied to the school approval process.
He said schools must seek government clearance before adjusting fees to prevent arbitrary increases.
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