The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has officially acknowledged the return of $760,000, which was initially paid as advanced school fees by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, for his children at the American International School, Abuja.
Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson for the EFCC, confirmed this development in Abuja on Friday.
The EFCC spokesman said “The school has refunded the entire $760,000 to the EFCC’s recovery account.”
Earlier, the American International School of Abuja had requested the EFCC to provide authentic banking details for the refund of fees paid for the former governor’s children.
Allegedly, Bello paid $720,000 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi State Government. These children are in Grade Levels 2 to 8 at the school.
The EFCC’s move came after operatives had laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja on April 17, in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
However, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, reportedly whisked Bello away during the operation.
In a letter addressed to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, the American International School of Abuja stated that a total of $845,852 has been paid in tuition from September 7, 2021, to date.
The school clarified that the amount to be refunded is $760,910 after deducting educational services already rendered.
They emphasized that no further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate.
Moreover, the school warned of alerting the anti-graft agency if there were any further deposits by the Bello family.
A statement signed by Greg Hughes, representing the school, revealed that Ali Bello contacted the institution on August 13, 2021, to pay the family’s school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School.
Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, previously disclosed that the former governor transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay in advance for his child’s school fees. He emphasized the seriousness of the issue, stating, “In a poor state like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life.”
