NewStats: 3,261,302 , 8,173,643 topics. Date: Wednesday, 28 May 2025 at 07:27 PM q1i3o

Yahaya Bello: Abuja American School refunds $760,000 to EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has confirmed the receipt of the refund of $760,000 paid as advanced school fees by a former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello for his children at the American International School, Abuja.

The spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development to our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.

“The school has refunded the entire $ 760, 000 to the EFCC’s recovery ,” he said.

Earlier, the American International School of Abuja had asked the EFCC to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of the former governor.

Bello allegedly paid $720,000 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi State Government.

The children are in Grade Levels 2 to 8 at the school.

On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.

While the operatives were at the house, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at the property and reportedly whisked Bello away.

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

AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

“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 reads.

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

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 said it would draw the attention of the anti-graft agency if there were any further deposits by the Bello family.

In a statement signed by Greg Hughes, AISA also said, “Ali Bello ed the school on Friday 13 August 2021 requesting to pay the family school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School.”

The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, had earlier revealed 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 fee.
Olukoyede revealed this during an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said, “A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House.

“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?”

https://punchng.com/yahaya-bello-abuja-american-school-refunds-760000-to-efcc/

Ibemi:
Of what use, since the money is still going to be recycled by ally.

Till we reform our System, news like this is a compete waste of time

Exactly!

Y are people these selfish? Why ?

Kogi State don get their own version of Abacha. More money to come

This is a credit to AIS. Obvious they don't want the prestige and reputation associated with their educational institution tainted publicly with 'dirty' money.

They proactively asked for an authentic to refund the payment Bello made and EFCC provided it. They have now refunded the full amount immediately.

Commendable.

Refunded to be relooted again

If the EFCC Chairman get SENSE, this Investigation should have been followed up secretly.

The Man Talks like a Market woman.

Good one from the school

Vinnie2000:
If the EFCC Chairman get SENSE, this Investigation should have been followed up secretly.

The Man Talks like a Market woman.

They probably concluded their investigation na to arrest the guy dey form hide and seek. I think the media houses are becoming a huge nuisance to the society. Instead of uncovering more secret dealing of the guy, they are busy writing about award the guy got while in office or trying to wipe up public sentiment against the efcc.

This Yahaya should be arrested

Good one EFCC

Blakjewelry:

They probably concluded their investigation na to arrest the guy dey form hide and seek. I think the media houses are becoming a huge nuisance to the society. Instead of uncovering more secret dealing of the guy, they are busy writing about award the guy got while in office or trying to wipe up public sentiment against the efcc.

What are you Saying?

EFCC should have kept their Investigation moves secret.

You want Nigeria to move back to Abacha era where Media houses were gagged?

Vinnie2000:
If the EFCC Chairman get SENSE, this Investigation should have been followed up secretly.

The Man Talks like a Market woman.

The EFCC chairman is doing exactly what he is supposed to do; be transparent. If every single person in government was transparent, Nigeria will be better.

Good

Nigerian politicians are more evil than evil, the refunded money will be looted again by the person with the most power

The respected Isiagu attire cannot be used to a thief please

He must still be persecuted Prosecuted

Garfield look at one of your mentors and party chieftain. Accidental governor

760k from one man...
Imagine the ones not heard about...

Yahaya Bello messed up big time.

If not for the election complications that led to the death of Abubakar Audu, Kogi State would never have been inflicted with the calamity of GYB.

Yahaya Bello, someone died for you to be given that position. What did you do with it?

I saw a report that said Kogi State could not assess the Universal Basic Education Fund as they could not pay counterpart funding. Was the money not available?

These people do mediocre projects here and there while robbing their states to receive cheap praise.

Kogites! Nigerians!! While holding the president to , you ignore the criminality right under your noses. Governors have enough money to develop your states. They've always had it. Guess what? No one challenges them or holds them to . Si what do you expect?

They collect allocation and buy forex. For what?

If you see the squalor in Kogi State and you have a conscience, you'd weep. The poverty is stinking, and fees totalling $865,000 were paid for the children of a human being!

How sad!

Adeola Fayehun said the governor sued the school for breach of contract for saying they'd return the money to EFCC for breach of contract. Why would he sue if he claims the money did not belong to him?

As for EFCC, the only explanation for the school accepting fx and payment in advance is money laundering. You may need to investigate the school and all schools of politically exposed persons in Abuja. My feeling is that you'd discover more of such things.

If fees were paid for those children in Nigeria, be sure fees must have been deposited in an endowment fund for the children in the US. You need to report to the relevant US agencies to launch an investigation. Look into the property market in the US and UK. Look into bank s. These criminals are not so smart.

Chai..




When you're looking for what corrupt Nigerian politician looks like, just look at Yahaya Bello.


He and his fellows are all thieves!

Two questions:
1. Why are they returning the money now that EFCC is after him?

2. Are we sure the school is not being used as fronts for money laundering?

Meanwhile to the rest of you,

Please learn to be comionate in word and deed while dealing with others and God will bless you.

1Pet.3.8 - Finally, all of you be of one mind, having comion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;

Dodo will definitely return it back to yahaya... They are two of the same father

Nigerian politicians are mad. You can pay $750,000 in advance for your kids to enjoy the best education in the country while the kids in your state receive their education in schools that look like shrines.

Just imagine, out country.