Yahaya Bello: Abuja American School Wants to Refund ex-Gov’s $760K Advance Fees, Writes EFCC

Those crying blue murder at the recent revelation by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, that ex-Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, before leaving office, transferred $720,000 from government coffers for the advance payment of his children’s school fees at the American International School of Abuja, AISA, may have to do a rethink.

This is because the elite school has indirectly confirmed the EFCC story, and indicated its preparedness to pay back the said sum to an “authentic” bank account of the anti-graft agency. It has asked the Commission to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of the fees that Bello paid in advance for the children who are in Grade Levels 2 to 8 at the school.

The AISA, in a letter addressed to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, disclosed that the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition to the school “since the 7th of September 2021 to date.”

The school also revealed that the actual amount to be refunded to government coffers is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

The AISA wrote: “Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family.”

The letter added that, “Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 in tuition and other fees have been deposited into our bank account.

“We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84.

“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”

The school then promised to alert the EFCC if there were any further deposits by the Bello family.

Meanwhile, the Principal of the school, Mr. Greg Hughes, had, in a statement, also disclosed that “Ali Bello contacted the school on Friday 13 August 2021 requesting to pay the family school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School.”

On Wednesday, April 17, EFCC operatives had laid siege to Bello’s residence in Wuse 2, Abuja, in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud. But some ‘fans’ of the embattled ex-Governor, aided by some security agents, reportedly spearheaded by his former Chief Security Officer, prevented the EFCC operatives from doing their job.

The stand-off which started around 9a.m. that day lasted till evening. During the period, Bello’s successor and political godson, Mr. Usman Ododo, came to the house. And after spending about five hours with his former boss, Ododo reportedly whisked him out of the house.

Ododo has not denied aiding Bello’s escape.

But that did not stop the EFCC from charging Yahaya Bello with an alleged N80.2 billion fraud before the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, the day after the stand-off.

Justice Emeka Nwite had earlier ordered that Yahaya Bello be served his charges through his counsel, Mr. Abdulwahab Muhammad, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, following the cat-and-mouse game the accused was playing with the anti-graft agency.