The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially confirmed the reimbursement of $760,000, initially paid by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, as advanced school fees for his children at the American International School in Abuja.
According to Dele Oyewale, spokesperson for the EFCC, the school has returned the full sum to the EFCC’s recovery account. This confirmation came during a correspondence with our reporter in Abuja on Friday.
The American International School of Abuja had previously requested verified banking details from the EFCC for the refund of fees paid for the former governor’s children. Bello purportedly disbursed $720,000 from Kogi State Government funds in advance for the education of his five children, ranging from Grade Levels 2 to 8.
On April 17, EFCC operatives sought to apprehend Bello at his residence in Abuja over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud. However, Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi reportedly arrived and escorted Bello away from the premises.
In a letter addressed to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, the school disclosed that a total of $845,852 had been paid in tuition from September 7, 2021, until the present date. After deducting for educational services rendered, the school determined the refundable amount to be $760,910.
Furthermore, the school emphasized its commitment to alerting the anti-graft agency to any additional deposits made by the Bello family. Greg Hughes, in a statement on behalf of AISA, clarified that Ali Bello contacted the school on August 13, 2021, expressing the desire to prepay the family’s school fees until the students complete High School.
Earlier, EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede had revealed that Bello transferred $720,000 from the state treasury to a bureau de change before leaving office, intending to prepay his child’s school fees. Olukoyede underscored the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the misuse of public funds, especially in a financially constrained state like Kogi.
