The American International School of Abuja has returned $760,910.84 to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in connection with an ongoing investigation involving former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
The refund is part of $845,852 that was allegedly paid by Bello in 2021 to cover long-term school fees for his children.
The refund relates to the tuition for five children of the ex-governor, with the funds originally intended to secure their education from 2021 to 2035.
This development follows allegations that Bello misappropriated N80.2 billion from state funds, a charge he has consistently denied, claiming that he would not give in to what he describes as attempts to coerce him into admitting wrongdoing.
The EFCC, which has been actively pursuing this case, presented documents in court indicating that Bello paid the substantial sum to cover not only the immediate educational needs of his four children but also a prospective fifth child, contingent on admission and available space in the school in August 2022.
“The American school refunded the school fees in two tranches. Initially, it returned $720,000 to the EFCC and later $40,910,” a top source in EFCC told The Nation.
Continuing, the source said: “Following a mutual agreement with the EFCC, the school decided to retain some fees (I think $84,942) for its services.
“This is one of the aspects of our investigation which made us ask Bello to come for interaction. But it is already part of our documents frontloaded to the Federal High Court in Abuja.”
When contacted for an official reaction, the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Dele Oyewale, said: “The school has refunded $760,910 to this commission.”
Meanwhile, Bello has slammed the EFCC over allegations surrounding the payment of school fees for his children.
In a statement on Friday signed by his spokesman, Ohiare Michael, the former governor described the allegations by the EFCC as false and misleading.
Bello said he didn’t pay the fees of his children with monies from the coffers of the Kogi state government, adding that he did not pay the $720,000 alleged by the EFCC Chairman or the $840,000 being bandied about on the internet.
He added that the payment of the fees was not effected at about the time he was to leave office, as claimed by the EFCC chairman, but commenced in 2021.